Big Top Balancing Act
by Lord Genesis Shadow
Summary: Ace Stormrider is a Pegasus with a rare gift, and a not-so-rare life. He works as a circus performer, a tightrope walker. Every show he does is dangerous, but he wouldn't have it any other way. When the travelling circus stops in Ponyville, things change in many ways he's not comfortable with, at first. What will happen when these changes are through? Who can say?
1. Life in a Travelling Circus

**It's been a while, again, and this is yet another story I'm starting up. Even I sometimes wonder what I'm thinking, but having a variety and sticking to one at a time for a few chapters should help keep my love of the stories I'm already doing. Otherwise the quality would drop like a stone or I'd end them too early. So be glad I'm doing things this way.**

**Anyway, as you obviously know, this is a story for My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. But it isn't one that follows the Mane Six. It follows a simple Pegasus with a complex about a part of himself, something that makes him unique, but in a way that he doesn't understand, nor does he accept what it is. His past, and all that it carries, will be revealed as you read. Bear in mind, this is, as all of my work, posted only on Fridays. Sorry about that, but those are my rules. If I posted it all at once, I'd spoil you all. Again, sorry.**

**I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. The owners are probably very happy that this is the case, as I couldn't do as good of a job as they have. This story, and the original characters, unless otherwise stated up here, are mine, in that I thought them up. If the owners of the rights to My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic would like them, I'll be very happy to help with keeping them in character. Thank you, and have a nice day.  
…**

"_Hey, what are you doing here?" An oddly kind voice asked. I just curled up into a ball as best I could, facing away. "Don't worry, we aren't the kind to hurt someone just for hitchin' a ride on one of our circus cars." He walked over, and I heard someone with him. "Running away to join the circus?" I just nodded. "You're not the first. Heck, it's how we got started." I was silent. "Tell you what, if you want to join this circus, all we need to know is what you want to do."_

"_I, don't know." I said after a few seconds. "I didn't, plan that far ahead." He laughed, as did the other. It was a girl._

"_Well, talk to the others." He said. "For the time being, you'll bunk with Andre. He's got the strength of ten bears that have the strength of five bears." I laughed quietly, just barely really. "He's quiet, but I'm sure he'll be happy to have someone around to talk to him." I was silent. "Come on, we'll show you over. Staying between a couple of crates isn't cozy, or safe for that matter." He pulled the blanket back but stopped, whistling softly as he let go of the blanket. "And here I thought you were an Earth Pony."_

"_Wow, cool wings." The girl said. I slowly looked back._

"_I'm with my daughter." He said. They were Pegasi, like me. "You have very, unique wings." I turned my head back and looked at my hooves. "Don't be ashamed…"_

"_I'm a freak." I said quietly. "I shouldn't have wings like this."_

"_You have those wings for a reason." He said. "I think you'd do great with our flying troupe. The aerobatic troupe of our circus is one of the most renowned in Equestria. Princess Celestia herself takes in a show every year we've come through, right from the first time we came by. What do you say?"_

"_I, want to think about it…" I said quietly. I slowly got up and turned to them as they stepped back, and I stepped down, just in time for the trailer to shake, and I ended up stumbling into the girl, a light blue Pegasus with a blue mane, and sky blue eyes. Her father laughed as she stepped back, almost as fast as I did. "S-sorry…"_

"_It's okay." She said, blushing slightly. "Bumpy roads…"_

"_Come on, we'll show you to Andre's room." He said. "After we set up in a few days, you can decide what kind of job you'll try." I nodded shakily but turned and grabbed my cloak, which doubled as my blanket, and I quickly flipped it around and put it on. "Oh, I thought it was just a blanket. It's got a hood… Good for rainy days." I turned slowly. "By the way, I'm Horatio Cloudrunner, and this is my daughter, Sky."_

"The _Horatio Cloudrunner?!" I asked quickly. He smiled and held his head up a little higher._

"_Yes indeed, that's me." He said proudly. Sky giggled into her hoof. "I am the owner, founder, and ringleader of this fine travelling circus." I couldn't help but smile. "And I'm sure you'll find a place where you're comfortable here." He turned while Sky walked out. "Come on, we'll show you to where you'll stay." I followed him out and we walked along the rail on the side of the large trailer. They were magically mobile trailers the size and general shape of boxcars, and they followed a path leading from one town to another. On the sides were railings and walkways that would fold down for tunnels. "So, have you ever been to a circus before?"_

"_O-once." I said. "This one… Last, last year, on my, birthday."_

"_Is that why you decided to hitch a ride?" Sky asked, looking back at me. I just nodded. "Did you like the show?"_

"_Y-yeah." I said. "It was, the most fun I've ever had, before or, since then…"_

"_Sounds like you've got a story." Horatio said. I looked at him, and nodded shakily. "You're not the first to run away and join a circus, and you won't be the last. I, myself, was a runaway. I left because I wanted an exciting life, and my parents wanted me to live a much more 'normal' life." He looked at me. "Everyone has a story to tell, and that's Celestia's honest truth." I smiled a little. "Someday, maybe you will tell us yours."_  
…

I groaned quietly as I slowly leaned up to the sound of a cheering crowd. That was the only sound I needed to hear to know that it was late in the afternoon. Probably later than I wanted. I reached out and felt around for my glasses, slowly, and I couldn't find them.

'Where'd they go this time?' I wondered. I didn't outright _need_ them, but without them everything was fuzzy enough that gave me trouble getting around, and my job would be impossible without them. I squinted to clear it up a little and slowly got out of bed as I saw them. "Over on the bookshelf, again…" I got up and walked over as the crowd cheered again. I'd start my first show of the afternoon in a few hours, maybe sooner since I couldn't see my clock clearly enough. I picked my glasses up and put them on, looking at the clock with a sigh of relief. I still had two and a half hours to the show. "Good. That'll give me time to get ready." I walked toward my bathroom when I heard my tent flap move. "Hey Sky." She laughed as I closed the small door. "What's up?"

"We're packing up tomorrow." She said. "So tonight we're going to suspend your act and do a combination. I hope you don't mind doing just the one show."

"I guess." I said after a few seconds. "What kind of show though? How do we combine aerobatics with tightrope walking?"

"Well, two ways." She said. "First, we'll all fly around you, and you'll walk past trying to avoid us." I looked at the door. "Second, we'll take a second wire and have two ponies hold it while flying, and you'll try to walk across that before jumping down and landing in a pool of water."

"And how high will it be?" I asked.

"Ten feet higher than usual, with our deepest pool for you to land in." She said. "That'll be our last act for Appleloosa, and then it's onto the newest town on our route, Ponyville." I finished my business and washed my hooves after shuffling the straw. "What do you think?"

"Well, I'll try it." I said. "Just be careful. This is a whole new act, indoor flying, and you have not only me to look out for, but the poles and my wire."

"Thanks Ace." She said. "Dad knew you'd give it a go. Oh, and he has a new part to your act." I opened the door and walked out, and she was smiling, and she held up, a mask.

"What's this?" I asked.

"Dad figured he'd give you a nickname." She said. I slowly took it and looked at it for a moment. It was a dark blue mask, about as blue as my mane, with a pair of cuts down both eyes like tears, and a fairly creepy smile. "He wants to call you Shades O'Gray." I blinked. "You've got a silver coat, kind of gray, we've got a darker gray cloak, and there are sunglasses style covers for the eyes that will be very light gray." I tilted my head before moving the mask around and I held it up in front of my face. "It looks good."

"It has a creepy smile, Sky." I said. "I don't know."

"There's another that doesn't have a mouth, if you'd like that one." She said. "Actually, it'd be better since it's really dark gray with lighter gray 'eyes'." I lowered the mask.

"I'll take that one, if that's going to be my new moniker." I said. She giggled as I gave her the mask, which she put in her saddlebag.

"Our show will be at ten thirty or so." She said. "Until then, dad wants me to go with some of the others to get some food and water for the trip." I nodded as she started turning. "Any chance I can convince you to come with us?" I just walked over to my cloak. "Come on, you never come with us. How are you gonna get a life if you never leave the grounds?"

"I honestly don't know." I said. I flipped my cloak as usual to put it on.

"I think I have an idea." She said. "I recently received a gift, and I know it's something you want."

"Oh?" I asked. "You'd give up a gift just to get me to leave?"

"Well, one week's worth of getting you out of the grounds." She said. "Because I know how much you'll want this." She walked over. "I have, in my possession, a very delicious, cherry apple cheesecake." I raised my head from closing the metal clasp. "Two layer, with apple butter cream frosting."

"Tempting." I said. "But…"

"I won't give you the whole thing, but it's big enough for, fourteen slices." She said. "Seven for you, I've already had one, so six for me, and it is absolutely _perfect_." I fought the urge to lick my lips. My resolve had faltered since 'cheesecake'. That was a headlock to me, and the butter cream was a kick to the gut. One more good hit like that… "It's homemade, with magic keeping it somewhat warm, without melting the frosting." The knockout hit.

"Okay, stop." I said.

"It's soft, moist, very flavorful." She continued.

"Fine, I'll go into town." I said, looking at her. She smiled. "One slice, one time. When we get back, you give me a slice, but I reserve the right to say 'not right now' if I really don't feel like it." She nodded and held out her hoof, and I raised mine, tapping it to hers. "I'll hold you to giving me a slice when we get back, alright?" She nodded.

"Grab your saddlebags." She said. "We'll get some extra supplies."

"Okay, but we'll split the bill for the extra stuff your dad isn't paying for." I said. She nodded and I walked over and grabbed my saddlebag, putting it on. "I can't believe I'm doing this…"

"Hey, for the cheesecake." She said.

"Sky, you're my best friend, but right now, I don't quite know why." I said. She laughed as I walked over and we left the tent. There were a lot of ponies laughing at the various attractions, and I was doing my best to just, not stand out too much.

"So, you and I are going to buy a few pounds of apples, first." She said. "Then we have to get some vegetables and other fruits, but my dad wants mostly apples." I laughed quietly. He loved apples more than most ponies, perhaps with the exception of Andre and me. "I'm sure you know _why_."

"What about the others?" I asked.

"They're getting stuff from the stores." She said. "We're headed out to buck apples so we can get them cheaper. Andre's gonna come by with some of the others to carry them back. We'll make a few trips. Not going back in directly of course. I'm not wasting all seven slices in one day." I laughed as we walked toward the main gate.  
…

I lined up with the tree while Sky watched, smirking. We had made a bet that I could buck all of the apples off a tree, while the Appleloosans said I'd get half of them at best. Andre was with them, and Sky was the only one that was with me.

"Anytime now." Braeburn said. I moved my hind legs up and kicked the trunk hard, and I heard apples falling all around, and a few groans. "Well gol-dang! You did it!" He walked around the tree as I stretched my legs and walked over to Sky before turning to the tree. "Every single apple in one buck. I thought mah cousin was the only one that could do that… No offense Andre."

"None taken." Andre said. I laughed under my breath. To this day his thick accent makes me laugh. "Ace is a strong Pegasus for his size, or one twice so." He was a lot bigger than the rest of us, both in height and muscle. He had a dark golden coat and his mane was just a little lighter, while his eyes were dark brown. His Cutie Mark, a pair of round ten ton weights with a bar between them.

"Well, we'll keep our end of the bet." Braeburn said. "Your apples are free this time." Sky giggled.

"Great job Ace." She said.

"I guess walkin' on that tightrope really works on your leg muscles." He said.

"I guess." I said quietly. Sky playfully slugged my shoulder.

"He does a lot more than that." She said. "He wakes up, helps around for a couple of hours, does a show or two, and then he helps a few of us improve our acts when we ask for a little help. We're all busy, but Ace is somethin' else."

"He is helpful, and very friendly once he gets to know somepony." Andre said. "It just takes a while, and he is reluctant." I looked away as they all laughed.

"Well, he's got some good friends in you two." Braeburn said. "I bet the rest of the troupes are just as nice to him."

"Yeah." I said quietly. "Mostly. New ponies are, a little nervous, so they don't talk much."

"Wow, Ace must be comfortable." Sky said. "He's, talking to somepony he's only recently met. Andre, quick, get the camera!" They laughed again and I smiled a little. It was kind of forced, but it _was_ kind of funny.

"We have to get going." Andre said after a few seconds. "This should be the last of the apples, and there are more supplies to be gathered. Thank you for your hospitality and generosity, Braeburn." I felt a pair of baskets on a harness being set on my back, and Sky walked past, so I followed her.

"See you next year." Braeburn said.

"I sure hope so." Sky said. As we walked, I looked at her.

"So, what's after this?" I asked. "How long until I get that slice of cake?"

"After this, we're done." She said. "Thanks to you suggesting we get the other supplies first. Ten minutes, and you get your delicious…"

"Don't start that again." I said. "Let's go."

"Moist, soft, spongy, tangy…" She continued. I started walking faster.

"Why is it that cheesecake can make me do anything I don't want to do?" I asked. She laughed as I moved my wings to get them more comfortable.  
…

"Fillies and gentlecolts!" Horatio called. The others flew around my wire, and I stood up on my hind legs. "For our final act of our stay here in the beautiful town of Appleloosa is one we've never done before." The crowd cheered. "Above, Shades O'Gray, will cross the tightrope while our flying troupe flies past as fast as they can, in the tent. As you know, Shades is our very own Ace Stormrider's nickname you've all been waiting for!" The crowd cheered louder and I blushed under the mask. "And as you also know, he doesn't use a safety net. Yes, he can fly, but will his cloak make that too difficult to avoid severe injury, or death? Once more, he stares death in the eye, and this time, there's even more danger than usual! For this time, the rope is held by only two Pegasi!" I inhaled silently. "Shades, are you ready!?" I moved my front legs out to my sides. "Ascend the rope!" The Pegasi flew up and back, pulling the rope tight, but it moved a little with each flap.

"This is the stupidest thing he's ever thought of…" I said, stopping. "No, that would be trying to boil tea in his stomach by swallowing the tea leaves and drinking boiling water. This is the… Fifteenth stupidest thing." When we reached the height, I heard a whistle.

"Begin!" He called. I took a step forward, slow, and steady. I watched the others and saw a pattern emerging as they flew from one side to the other, above and below the rope, some very close to it. They'd try to avoid me, but it wouldn't be easy.

"Maybe the third." I said quietly. I walked slowly before lowering my legs and carefully leaning slightly forward.

"Looks like he's forgoing his balance folks!" Horatio called. "He's favoring speed. Definitely not his usual choice."

"Stupid mask." I said. "The eyeholes are too narrow and small." I walked a little faster. Few ponies ever learned how to balance on their hind legs, let alone the way I was. It was a useful trick, though running was still beyond me. But it helped my act. Four legs just made it too hard to walk properly. Too much to pay attention to. The pony that taught me ended up breaking one of his legs, but when it healed, he had a limp that kept him from walking on a tightrope, so I was the new high wire act. "Okay, first dodge…" I stopped and waited, just in time for Sky to fly by, winking at me. I just walked quickly, but steadily. "Four to go."

"Be careful Shades, I forgot to mention, each one you get past goes down to the end." Horatio called. I sighed heavily.

"Thanks boss." I said under my breath. I kept walking, and each time I met one of the flyers, I had to stop and go after they flew past. The wire was starting to get a little slack at times though. The crowd gasped audibly each time, and I was starting to get worried. They were getting tired. I sped up a little more, taking the risk of just barely avoiding one of the others. I breathed quietly as I kept moving. After I got near the end, the rope moved, and I tipped to one side. "No!" I fell off and missed the rope, and the audience gasped and screamed as I adjusted my angle. Six seconds. The time it took from that height to the ground, right over, the outer ring, which was wide, and made of metal. I shifted and rapidly moved my cloak and my wings moved out. I angled my body and quickly pulled up, just in time to skirt over the metal ring before pulling up and flying past Sky, who laughed. I shot up and landed on the first pole, moving my wings back under the cloak while the crowd cheered. My heart, however, muffled that considerably. 'Never again, boss, _never_ will I do that stunt again!' I panted as the crowd continued cheering.

"Amazing!" Horatio called. "A dive that not even one of the Wonderbolts might have been able to pull out of! Shades O'Gray, are you alright!?" I waved my right foreleg and the crowd erupted in cheer as Sky and the others landed.

"I'm never doing that stunt again!" I called. The crowd laughed. "Be glad I didn't dive bomb you."


	2. Moving on to Another Town

**And here's chapter two. I hope you all like it. I worked pretty hard on this all. It's a good deal of planning and writing, and it's all for you, my readers. Most of you won't comment, so I'll take that to mean I'm doing something right. But I'd really appreciate it if you would. If there's a mistake, if there are none, if I'm doing something right or wrong, please, let me know.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. I'm just a fan, a Brony, if you will, and this is my way of showing my appreciation for a good show, and my love. Thank you for reading this if you did. If not… Thank you for reading anyway.  
…**

I sat down and raised the cup of tea to my lips, sipping it quietly. I was still a little shaken from the whole stunt. It wasn't the first time it happened. It happened once in a while, when I took a wrong step, or if the rope slipped. But the two Pegasi holding the ropes didn't have the stamina to hold it where they had to for the required time. One slip is all it takes. But I'd still walk the rope the next time. If I quit just because I fell, I'd have quit on day one.

"Hey, Ace, are you alright?" Sky asked. She walked in as I drank the tea.

"I'm fine." I said afterward. "I should be a lot madder than I acted in the tent."

"I'm glad you're not." She said.

"No point in it." I said. "I can't see a good reason to make myself look like a jerk." She laughed as she poured a cup of tea for herself. I held my cup out and she filled it as well. "Thanks."

"I'm glad you're okay." She said. "For a second I was actually worried." I was silent. "I mean, I'm still trying to figure out how you can fly like that. Not an inch from the ring, and you managed to land on your hind hooves without setting the other two down. Balance, skill, and you can fly faster than me… Why aren't you in the aerobatic troupe?"

"Because I don't want every crowd to see my wings." I said after a few seconds. "You know how I feel about them."

"So what if they look strange?" She asked. "So what if they're, different? You can fly better than any of us, even my dad in his day. You're a Wonderbolt candidate that hasn't signed up yet! You could do it." I laughed quietly.

"No thanks." I said. "I'm, happy enough to do this. At least this way I get to perform for more crowds a lot more often. Don't the Wonderbolts mostly do shows in Canterlot and the odd show wherever Princess Celestia visits?" She was quiet for a moment as she drank her tea. "I'd rather have a wider audience range."

"Though nopony ever sees your face." She said. "Don't you want to be well known?"

"I think I've got it good." I said, shrugging. "After all, I may be well known, but as long as the crowd doesn't recognize me, I don't get bothered that often or asked for autographs when I'm doing something."

"Yeah, but you never _go_ anywhere!" She said, laughing. "That does the _same thing_!" We both laughed. "Come on, you have to get out more."

"Our deal might be enough for a while." I said. She smirked as I looked at her. "If you find good enough reasons, I'll get out and do things, but I'd rather stick with things I know well and am comfortable with." I drank a little more of my tea. "For now, what I know well is a cup of lemongrass tea, no sugar, and a small tent I have to pack up in a few hours." She smiled as she sat down.

"Yeah, about that, we're speeding up the schedule a little." She said. "Thanks to you, we got ready a lot sooner than usual, so, after the tea, I'm helping you pack… Along with Specs." I sighed.

"And here I thought I had time to enjoy a few cups." I said. "Oh well." I held the cup out. "To good times."

"I'll drink to that." She said, raising the cup. We tapped them together and drank as the flap opened again.

"Hey guys, ready?" Specs asked. She was one of the lesser seen ponies of the circus. She was mostly an accountant, but would more often than not help around where she was needed. She was a Unicorn, with a dark brown coat and light auburn hair, and big round glasses with fairly thick lenses. Specs was, ironic though it seemed, her real name, not a nickname. That she needed glasses was a joke she liked to use as an icebreaker. Unlike me, she was somewhat outgoing, if a bit of an 'egghead'. "Ooh, lemongrass?" She walked in as we laughed, and she used her magic to pour a cup for herself. "So, did Sky tell you I'm helping with your tent?"

"She did." I said, setting my cup down. "And I'll take care of the interior if you can handle the outside, and we'll all take care of the posts." She nodded as she drank the tea.

"Cool." She said. "Oh, and the numbers are in about your performance last night." I nodded as she set the empty cup down. "The crowd loved it, but they all agree that it was dangerous, and prefer your normal act. It's nice that they're so worried about us." I nodded with a smile as she jumped slightly. "Okay, let's take this tent down!" Sky and I laughed as she jogged outside, her horn glowing with the characteristic light golden-brown magical energy. She was always so full of energy, but some days it was as though she were a living cartoon character.  
…

"_Okay kid, let's see what'cha got." The high wire pony said. His name was Tightrope. He was pretty much born to walk on one, and his Cutie Mark was a high wire balancing pole. I looked at the wire and carefully set my hoof down on it, but stepped back. "It's okay, you'll be alright." We were only six feet up, over a good safety net three feet under us. I could do it, I just needed a few moments. "Tell you what, a trick I learned really early on, is that you only need to know how t' do, this." I looked at him as he got up on his hind hooves. "Learn t' walk like this, and th' job's a lot easier." I slowly rose up and moved my front hooves a little, and I felt nervous, but I took a careful step, looking at the ground. "See, now ya only have t' think about where two hooves are, not all four." I nodded slowly and moved to the wire. "Slow an' steady now. Practice when ya get the time." I nodded and started walking onto the wire, swallowing hard. Sky laughed from nearby, and I just kept walking._

"_You can do it!" She called. I wobbled a little, but caught myself, and she laughed. "Nice pose!" I blushed and wanted to throw my wings out to help with my balance, but they were all but tied down. Not by the cloak, but by my wish to keep them hidden. She knew, but Tightrope didn't. I just didn't want anypony to see my wings. Instead of beautiful feathery wings, I had a pair of, bat wings. Big silver hair coated leathery bat wings on a Pegasus. It was a rare occurrence, naturally at least. Magic could make it happen as a spell, but natural wings like this were just strange, and I had been picked on constantly because of it. "Ace, come on, keep going!" I fixed my position and walked calmly, carefully, but I still tilted from one side to another, moving my front legs as best I could to maintain, but two thirds of the way across, I let out a yell as I tipped over the side, and I hit the net on my back. I panted for a few seconds before sighing, and Tightrope walked over on his hind hooves and set down on all fours nearby, actually laying down after a second._

"_You've got potential, I'll say that much for ya." He said. "Just a few weeks and you'll be ready for a show." I smiled a little. "But we have to get'cha used t' heights. Sky says yer a Pegasus?" I nodded and moved onto my side, being careful not to move the cloak. "Well, go out flyin' with her, get used t' bein' high up, and that'll do more than walkin' 'r standin' on something real tall. Okay?" I nodded._

"_Yeah." I said quietly._

"_Don't worry, I'll make sure you're a top notch flier, just in case." She said. "Just like me and dad." Tightrope laughed as I jumped down from the net._

"_You two go flyin' for now." He said. "We've got t' set things up. I'll work with ya on days off. You keep training on yer own or with Sky, alright?" I nodded and he got up before jumping down onto the net and onto the ground. "Good. Now go on." Sky laughed and we walked out. As we got out, I looked to a nearby forest._

"_Sky, I, I don't really, like other ponies, seeing my wings…" I said. She looked at me. "C-can we just, fly where nopony can see us?" She nodded._

"_Dad'll want to watch, just to be safe, but yeah." She said. "I'll go get him. If you want, do some practice flying on your own, get used to the area. The air currents around here are _sweet_ this time of year." I laughed as she flapped her wings and jumped, landing lightly. "See you in a few minutes." She ran off before I could say anything, but I leaned forward._

"_I'll find a clearing!" I called. She took off and I looked at the forest and started jogging, being careful to stay in the shadows and near the tents to avoid bumping into anyone. Just my luck, not one pony looked remotely in my direction unless I passed by, and none of them slowed me down. When I got into the forest, I ran for a ways before I spotted a clearing a good enough distance away, and I went to the middle, by a log with a branch sticking up with a few smaller branches coming out of it, almost like a natural coat rack. "This, is wide enough for takeoff and landing… Perfect for practice… It, has been a while…" I removed my cloak and put it on the branch, and stretched my wings for a few seconds. "Here I go." I bent my knees and raised my wings, taking a deep breath. After a second or so of tensing my muscles, I flapped my wings hard right as I jumped, and I kept flapping until I got some distance, and I flew up and went into an old dive I was taught, pulling up and making my way up higher, spinning slightly, and I smiled. I did love flying, but I couldn't be in the aerobatics troupe. I just couldn't show off my wings. 'Way too long since I've done this… I missed it.' As I flew, I heard laughter nearby, and I looked down to see Sky and her father watching me. I stopped and stayed put for a few moments before flying down and landing, and Sky instantly held her hoof up. A high hoof. I slowly raised my own and she hit it with a laugh._

"_Ace, you're amazing!" She said quickly. "Geeze, it took me a year to learn how to fly like that! Why didn't you say anything?" I blushed and lowered my head slightly._

"_I'm not, amazing." I said quietly. "I'm rubbish."_

"_Nonsense." Horatio said. I slowly looked up as he smiled, and Sky laughed. "If that's rubbish, then I'm not even worth considering. These days I couldn't pull off moves like that, though Sky could still give you a run for your bits." I lowered my head again._

"_I, I'm not half as good as my dad…" I said under my breath._

"_What's that?" He asked._

"_I'm not, half as good as my, dad." I said, still quietly._

"_Is he a Wonderbolt?!" Sky asked quickly. I shook my head._

"_He doesn't like them." I said. "He's, a lot better than me. I'll probably never fly as good as he does."_

"_Well, with an attitude like that, you're bound to be right, if only to yourself." He said._

"_Yeah, be confident!" Sky said. "You flew better than my _dad_ does, and he's one of the best fliers in Equestria!" He laughed._

"_Sky, why don't you fly with him, and let's see how good he flies?" He suggested. I slowly turned as she moved next to me._

"_Come on Ace, let's see who's the better flier." She said._

"_Probably you." I said quietly. We both lowered our bodies, but our stances were different. Her wings weren't fully raised, but she bent down further. She probably relied on her legs, but then, I had a balance of strong legs and strong wings, thanks to all of my practice as a foal._

"_Go!" Horatio called. We jumped together, and I flapped my wings at the same time, but she didn't. She flapped after getting up, right as she hit her peak. I looked back as she climbed after me, but she was smiling._

"_Come on, have fun with it!" She called. I laughed and started moving to the side._

'_Well, if it's a game she wants…' I thought. I rolled, tucking my wings in before putting them out again, flapping and moving around her._

"_Hey, fly circles around me will you?!" She called, laughing. We spiraled together for a bit before I broke off and reversed, narrowly missing her, the tips of our wings touching briefly, and she watched as I closed my wings and did a series of back flips before opening them again. "Jeeze, you're really good!"_

'_Not really.' I thought. 'That, that was basic… Any Pegasus can do that.' After a few minutes of trying to keep up with me, she suddenly shot past me._

"_Okay, no more miss nice Sky." She called. She suddenly flew down at an angle, spinning rapidly while picking up speed, and she pulled up at the last second, narrowly avoiding a tree before flying straight up, doing side rolls while simultaneously doing back flips, creating an awkward spin. I'd tried that once, and I ended up landing in a pool because I was too dizzy to fly straight, losing altitude because of it, and then I got scolded for the better part of an hour. "Top that!" She suddenly flew down, and I knew she was having problems, because she was rapidly getting close to the ground, and she was flying in an awkward manner anyway._

"_Sky, pull up!" I called._

"_Sky!" Horatio called. I flew at her, pointing both hooves forward, having found that it seemed to make me go faster. Each stroke of my wings sped me up further and further until I flew under her, just as she seemed to, go limp. She had passed out. The timing, however, was perfect for her, since she landed on my back. It was bad for me, though, because I wasn't ready, so I fell, only barely managing to set my hooves on the ground and run, turning to stop right in front of her father, before collapsing. I breathed heavily as he picked her up and set her down. "She's okay… I hope." I looked at them as he leaned in and listened to her, but she slowly got up, shaking her head. "Sky, are you alright?"_

"_Sorry, I guess, I passed out." She said. "I'm okay." She cleared her throat. "S-so, I didn't get hurt…"_

"_Thanks to Ace and his, incredible speed." He said. They looked at me as I slowly got up. "Ace, how did you fly that fast? At my absolute best, I could _maybe_ go _half_ that fast, and that was over twenty years ago." I blushed._

"_I just…" I started. I thought on it. "Just, something I started doing…" I was silent for a moment. I couldn't say why I had learned that trick. "When I was, just, out of foalhood…" I slowly walked over to my cloak and picked it off of the branch, throwing it over my shoulder and turning to them. "A-anyway, it's nothing special. It's dangerous, too. I could have crashed hard if I wasn't lucky… Maybe that's why my name, is Ace." Sky laughed quietly._

"_You saved my life." She said. "I owe you, big time. I promise, I'll make it up to you, someday." I turned my head._

"_Y-you don't have to." I said. "What kind of colt would I be if, if I just let somepony fall to their death from, being dizzy?" She laughed and kissed my cheek, and I jumped slightly._

"_You're still a hero, to me." She said._

"_And me." Horatio said. "I think you'd do amazingly well in the aerobatic troupe…"_

"_N-no." I said quickly. Too quickly. "I, I s-said, that I d-don't, want anypony seeing m-my wings." He held up his hoof._

"_Calm down, I'm, just saying you're a heck of a flier." He said. "I swear, when I was just a few years older than you, I couldn't fly nearly that fast, and at my peak flying days I couldn't have done some of the stunts either of you did. As far as I saw, you flew just as capably as Sky did, maybe better for some things." I looked away slightly._  
…

"Ace!" Specs called suddenly. I shot up and hit my head against the bunk, and immediately my hooves were on top of my head, grateful that I slept with my cloak. "Sorry, but you've gotta see this!" She looked at a door and I slowly got out of the bed. It was, just after dawn, or it was by the clock. "Look at the moon." I looked up and saw, that the Mare in the Moon was missing. "What do you think it means?" I shrugged.

"Well, there was a legend that Nightmare Moon would return someday." I said. "That, might be a sign." She shivered slightly. She was _very_ superstitious.

"Ace, don't joke like that!" She said. I looked at her.

"I'm not joking." I said. "That's what it said in the books. A thousand years ago, Nightmare Moon was banished by Princess Celestia." She laughed.

"And I'm supposed to be the egghead around here." She said. I smirked slightly. "So, you really think it's possible?"

"No idea." I said. "It's just a legend. But it said that after a thousand years, Nightmare Moon would appear and bring about eternal night." She shivered again.

"It better just be a legend." She said.

"Well, if it's not, then we'd better get a lot of flashlights." I said. I turned. "Good night."

"It's morning." She said. "And Horatio wants you to start doing morning shows." I sighed. "Hey, you'll be up and able to do more, and watch the others."

"Well, that's fine." I said. "I can find something to do. When do we stop?"

"Ten minutes." She said. "That's when Princess Celestia is going to make the sun rise. We're going to watch it come up. All of us." I nodded and stretched my legs. "Gonna fly?"

"If I find a good place." I said.

"Can I watch?" She asked. I was silent. "Come one, we're friends, right?"

"Yeah." I said slowly.

"Then let me watch." She said, smiling widely. "I saw you during your act, and you were _awesome_, and you were so fast not _one_ pony in the audience saw your wings! They thought it was _magic_! It was the coolest thing I've ever seen." I looked away, blushing.

"I'm not that good." I said. "I barely practice these days. That was just, barely shaking the cobwebs off."

"Then once you get back in the air, you'll be _wicked_!" She said. I sighed.

"Fine." I said. "I guess, we've been friends long enough. I just, don't like anypony seeing my wings. Sky and Horatio only saw them because, they took my cloak off when they first met me."

"They must be really awesome if you have to hide them." She said. I laughed.

"Sky keeps saying that." I said. "I don't think so." I looked at her. "But, if you're sure, then fine. When I walk off, feel free to follow."


	3. Everypony has Secrets

**I'm late posting this one, and for that I apologize. I slept in, things happened, I lost track of time, and I built a book case. And I had to read through the chapter to both make sure it was ready, and come up with a chapter title. I'm not getting a lot of reviews yet, but I'm going to keep working on this. For those of you that don't know, I only post on Fridays, or Saturdays if I miss posting on Friday for one reason or another, but rarely earlier or later.**

**But this story is different from most of the rest of my other stories. This isn't some grand love story, or a hero looking for justice. It's a story of a Pegasus in a circus with his friends. Things will happen and I'll try to stay faithful to the show as best I can, but I added a lot of new characters, so that'll change things up and add events that never happened, and they probably never will (Unless the current crew working on it ask to use the general idea, of which all I ask is that they let me know they're going to do so with an official email so I can thank them.).**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. If I did, I'd just do that. I wouldn't mess with a winning formula.  
…**

I tossed my cloak onto a branch and stretched my wings for a few moments before taking off. I needed less of a jump from when I was a foal. I kept my wings in shape by flapping them for ten to twenty minutes each day, but I rarely flew unless I had a day off, and they were rare as of late. The sun had yet to come up, and it was unheard of that Princess Celestia wouldn't make it rise on time, as she had for so many years without fail. Then again, she had a lot to do. Maybe she was behind in her royal duties to the point she couldn't raise the sun as early as she did every year. Hopefully she would do so soon.

'Let's shake off the last of the cobwebs.' I thought. I flew high and spun slightly before doing a back flip. As I got close to the ground I pulled up and managed to skim the trees. I flew around for a few minutes, just going through my old tricks, and some I had seen Sky and the others do as of late. Some of my rolls and flips weren't easy, but they were my own. Subtle motions made them difficult compared to a standard roll, and they were just subtle enough that Sky couldn't pull one off. 'Okay, now, for a hard one'. I flew up and did a spiraling barrel roll to the right before doing a triple back flip, and as I got to the top of the climb, I moved into a double forward flip to the left. I kept it up for three seconds before stopping and spinning laterally for another two before I began flapping again, only slightly dizzy. I suddenly heard whistling and looked down to see Specs and Sky cheering, and I blushed as I flew down, landing like a bird of prey, on my hind hooves first before setting down. "H-hey. I thought I had a few more minutes to myself." They laughed as Specs smiled widely.

"Wow, your wings really are amazing." She said. I turned my head away slightly, partly to look at them, but mostly to look away.

"No, they're just, strange." I said quietly. Sky slugged my shoulder playfully.

"Come on, I think they're cool, dad thinks they're cool, and Specs thinks they're amazing." She said. "Face it, your wings are awesome." I laughed and looked at them. "And you did that roll again. How do you do that without passing out?"

"Practice." I said. "Like flying. You don't forget how to do it no matter how long you're grounded." Specs moved over and looked at my wings.

"Ace, you're awesome." She said.

"And you have to teach me how to do those rolls." Sky said. "I'm begging you. I'll give you the whole cheesecake." I looked at the sky for a moment. "Ace?"

"If I could, believe me, that cake would get you lessons for months." I said, sighing at the end. I looked at her. "But it's not something that can be taught. You're good enough that you can copy me, almost perfectly. If you can't do it on your own, then, it must be my wings…"

"Then you have to show off!" Specs said. "Come on, it'd be _sweet_ to show the crowd how great a flier you are!" I sat down and sighed again.

"I, just can't." I said. "Yeah, I can fly, pretty good… But I just… I don't want anypony to see my wings. You think they look cool, Horatio thinks they look cool, but… I don't want ponies calling me a freak."

"You're not a freak." They said together.

"You're amazing!" Specs said.

"You're unique." Sky said. I sighed quietly before looking up.

"Let's, just drop the subject, for now." I said. They sighed. "Specs, you wanted to see my wings, so…" I opened one to the side and she smiled, walking over and looking at it on both sides before giggling.

"Neat." She said. "Like a big bat wing with a bigger web." Sky laughed as I closed the wing. "And it closes like a feathered Pegasus wing. Sweet." I laughed. That's why she was a friend. She always had that attitude around… Literally everypony she met.

"Hey, Ace, dad's got some fires started." Sky said. We looked at her. "Marshmallows, chocolate bars, graham crackers." She smiled. "S'mores!" We laughed and I walked over to my cloak, and I quickly pulled it on. "Come on, let's go. I'm hungry. Snack time!" She turned and jogged toward the camp, and I laughed as I followed, and Specs started running to catch up. I just walked, smiling.

'I guess this is alright.' I thought. 'I've got some friends, it's the longest day of the year with Princess Celestia raising the sun in some lucky town… And my best friend's father is making S'mores. I can't say that this day could go any better…'

"Ace, come on!" Sky called. "You know my dad doesn't do this often!" I laughed and started jogging, and she was looking at me from a spot above the ground, just below a few branches. "What are you hanging back for?"

"Just thinking about, how good today is going." I said. "I think today should be pretty good. I've just got a feeling that something amazing is going to happen." I laughed for a moment. "Not sure why I think that, but I do." She laughed and flew ahead, and I ran to keep up with her.  
…

I stretched and looked up at the sky. The sun was still down, and I felt a little worried. We had actually gotten onto the wagons and started up again, a few Unicorns at the front of each one using 'Flashlight' spells to guide the drivers. We were a lot closer, but we were also worried because the sun still hadn't come up. I was starting to wonder if the princess wanted to do something new. A full day without light to help us truly appreciate a normal day. If that was her plan… Then she was definitely wiser than most would expect. It was still somewhat troubling, regardless.

"Hey Ace." Specs said. I just moved my wings slightly as she walked over. "Worried?"

"Bored." I said. She laughed. "Seriously though, Princess Celestia has only missed one Summer Sun Celebration in the past thousand years, and that was from being stricken with a cold that made her magic unstable."

"Maybe she caught it again." She said.

"We'll find out soon." I said. "This just means the longest day will be later… After a few days without the sun." She sighed as she sat down. "It's not all that bad. Night is a beautiful time. We just get to stay up even later than we normally would for the Summer Sun Celebration." She laughed as I sat down. "And the stars are perfect."

"You know, I see you stargazing all the time after your shows." She said. "Why is that? I know Pegasi have their heads in the clouds now and then, but you have your head all the way up _there_!"

"I don't know." I said. "I guess… I just like feeling free."

"But you have a job." She said. "If you really want to be free, you'd have to be a nomad, going from place to place with nothing holding you anywhere!"

"I do go from place to place." I said. "We're all nomads in that respect. And we stay with the circus, because we're like a big family, travelling together, everywhere. We don't have anything holding us back, because this is where we want to be." She laughed.

"Maybe your Cutie Mark will be a scroll, for philosophy." She said. I was silent. "N-not to say that, um… Nice weather today?" I stared up at the stars. "Sorry."

"What about?" I asked.

"Uh, saying, what I said." She said slowly. I pointed up.

"Sorry, I was looking at that shooting star, making a wish on it." I said. She was silent for a moment.

"I don't see a shooting star." She said.

"You missed it." I said. It was obviously a lie, and I was hoping she'd take the hint. I set my hoof down. "They're fast, you know?"

"Uh, yeah." She said. Sixteen years old, and I still didn't have my Cutie Mark. Some would ridicule me for it, if I didn't wear my cloak everywhere I went. "Really fast…" I got up and adjusted my glasses carefully as a town appeared on the horizon. "Ace?"

"Horatio asked me to let him know when we were close." I said. "Figure, half an hour, or so?"

"Yeah, give or take a few minutes." She said. "See you later then."

"Yup." I said. I turned and started walking, stretching my wings since she already knew. Keeping them rested against my sides all the time left them a little stiff. It was good to know that most of the others had gone to sleep. 'I hope Horatio's still up… If not, I'll have to wake him, somehow…' I turned into his room and saw him playing chess with Sky. "Half hour."

"How'd you know?" Sky asked.

"Know what?" I asked. "We're half an hour until we get to the town… What are you talking about?"

"Dad's been thinking about his next move for half an hour." She said. I looked at Horatio as he sat silently, moving his hoof. "It's been checkmate the whole time, but he won't give up. I've got him blocked for every single move he can make. I had this set up ten turns ago." He sighed and put his hoof down.

"Fine, you win." He said, laughing. "I thought I could at least get one more turn in." They both laughed as I sighed.

"You two and chess." I said. "I don't get your fascination with it."

"That's because you always beat us and only lose one or two pieces each time." Sky said. "You're like some, über-chess master or something." I laughed quietly.

"The moves just come to me." I said. "Must be from, my mom's side of the family… Dad wasn't all that smart, in my opinion." She laughed as Horatio pushed the pieces back, setting the taken ones back with his teeth without licking them. "So, we'll be there in, twenty, seven minutes?" They both laughed and Horatio looked at me. "You just lost to Sky, Sky can't beat me, and you want to try."

"I got a few new tricks." He said. "Let's rock." She got up and I walked over, calmly, before sitting down. "This time, I plan to win. I'll be eight moves ahead of you."

"We'll see." I said. I pushed a pawn forward and he looked at it before pushing one as well.

"Twenty five minutes dad." Sky said. "Think you can take him by twenty?"

"Easily." He said. "I've planned out every possible move he can…" I moved my knight and he seemed stuck in thought. "Okay…" He moved his knight and I moved a pawn. He took it, and I used my knight to take his. "Hmmm…"

"Hey Ace, what do you want to do after we set up?" She asked. "Specs told me that she's been to Ponyville before, and there's a place called Sugarcube Corner. They've got some of the best baked goods outside of Canterlot." I looked at her as I pushed a bishop into place.

"I wonder how their cheesecakes taste compared to the one you've got." I said.

"I've got you this time." Horatio said. "Check."

"Specs said that they can make anything, and it's always amazing." Sky said. I pushed a piece and took Horatio's other knight.

"Blast." He said quietly.

"I guess I'm up for it." I said.

"Good, because you pretty much live off of what we have to sell." She said. "And there's a place called Sweet Apple Acres, where they grow the _biggest, juiciest,_ and most _delicious_ apples _in Equestria_! Remember that one time we had those huge Golden Delicious apples? The ones as big as dad's top-hat?"

"Check." He said. I moved a piece and took his bishop. "Oh, you're lucky."

"Yeah, I remember those." I said. "They were, fantastic."

"Well, we can buy them _cheap_, like, fifty bits for a bushel!" She said. "The ones we sell, three bits _per apple_ for _us_ to buy. That's why we sell them with homemade caramel." I looked at the ceiling as Horatio moved a piece, but before he could say check I took his queen.

"Seriously?" He asked. "You're not even looking!"

"How many fit into a bushel?" I asked.

"That's the best part, they consider a bushel no less, than forty." She said. I looked at her. "That's just barely over one bit per apple, they're bigger, taste better, and they sell all kinds of apple products!" I looked at the chessboard for a moment and moved my bishop.

"Checkmate." I said.

"Hold on for…" Horatio started. "Uh… A, a s-second… Just… Rats."

"Twenty minutes to go." Sky said.

"Sweet Apple Acres, Sugarcube Corner…" I said. "Is there, a chance they have a library? I could use some new books."

"Yeah, there's one in the middle of town…" She said. "I don't know if they found a librarian yet… Oh, and Cloudsdale isn't too far. Dad, doesn't aunt Siri live there?"

"Yes, she does…" He said. "And she's always got a few great stories to tell. I haven't seen her in a couple of years, what with the time we've spent on the road, and how far it is out of the way for both of us… We should really visit her."

"Have fun." I said. "A whole cheesecake won't get me in the clouds anytime soon."

"Come on, you have to meet her." Sky said. "She's really friendly… And, she cooks a nice cheesecake." I moved the pieces back as Horatio nodded.

"Best I've ever had." He said. "She actually has most of the ingredients special ordered, freshly made."

"You'll have to tell me about how that goes." I said.

"I bet she'd make one special if we wrote her and said you were coming with us." Horatio said.

"Sorry, but cloud cities don't sit well with me." I said. "I prefer solid ground. Lived on it my whole life."

"I bet she'd even try a new recipe for a visitor." Sky said.

"Yeah, you'll have to see if you can't get one of the others to go with you." I said.

"I'll give you a raise." Horatio said.

"I hardly spend any money as it is." I said. "I've got over ten years pay saved up. Thanks, but I don't think I've earned another one, compared to what earned me the last one."

"I'll let you have the whole cheesecake, and I'll buy you one from Sugarcube Corner." Sky said. I moved the last piece back and stood up.

"I think I'll go outside for some fresh air." I said. "See you."

"Fifty bits, right now." Horatio said. He put down a bag of coins, but I just walked.

"Like I said, I have a lot saved up." I said. "I've got a whole pirate chest style trunk… Three of them." They were silent for a moment.

"I'll give you all I said I'd give you, and a kiss on the cheek." Sky said. I stopped for a moment, weighing the thought for a minute or so.

"That, is, actually tempting." I said. Horatio laughed quietly. After a few moments I shook my head. "No, I, I just can't. If the trip didn't get to me, landing would. We'd have to land really early in the morning. If we had a spell that changed my wings that Specs could use, maybe."

"Then we'll look for a spell at the library!" Horatio said.

"In addition to the cheesecakes, the fifty bits, and a kiss on the cheek." I said. They were silent. "That's the deal."

"Done." They said.  
…

"_Hey, Ace." Sky said. I looked at her. "Do you think I'm ready to join the aerobatics troupe?"_

"_Yeah." I said. "Why would you think otherwise?"_

"_Well, I still can't do most of the stunts you did." She said. "I either get too dizzy, or I can't pull a tight enough turn or… So many things you do, I can't do half as good. By the time you get dizzy, you do like, twice as many spins as I managed, you bank a turn twice as sharp as I can, and you can… You can do _backflips_ while blindfolded, and still even out _perfectly_!" I turned to her._

"_Sky, you're ready." I said. "The stuff you do, the others admitted that they can barely do half of what _you_ can do." She was silent, looking away slightly. "Yeah, I can pull a turn you can't, but think of how they must feel when you tell them what I can do. How do you think they feel when you say I'm twice as good as you? If they're half as good as you, and you say I'm twice as good as you, then they're only a fourth as good as me." She nodded slowly as she looked at me. "Now, I wouldn't say I'm twice as good… I'd barely say I'm just as good as you are, but only because you keep telling me how good _I am_." She sighed._

"_It's just, I want to be the best." She said. "Dad was the best for _years_. I mean, he started his own travelling show just so he could make my grandfather proud of him. I want, I want dad to be proud of me."_

"_He is." I said. "He's also worried that you're going to push yourself too hard and wind up getting hurt, bad. I'm a little worried, too." She smiled a little. "You're my friend, his daughter, and a lot of the others would be worried, believe me. But, you're ready. Don't push your limits too far, and you'll show the others that you're not here just because you're Horatio's daughter. Show them that you've _earned_ the top spot in the aerobatics troupe." She moved over and hugged me, surprising me to the point that I was frozen, at first, but I moved my front leg around her shoulders to return the hug._

"_Thanks Ace." She said. "It means a lot, from you." I smiled a little._

"_I'm just being honest." I said. "You're great. You know it, I know it, your dad knows it… Now show the others and make sure _they _know it." She moved back and nodded._

"_Trust me, they'll know that I've earned it." She said. "They'll know I'm going to earn my spot as the head of the flying troupe." She turned and walked toward the tent where they were having tryouts for new fliers._

"_Go get 'em." I said quietly. I turned and walked toward my tent, one thought in mind. A little book I'd bought from a Unicorn that no longer needed it. He just wanted somepony to have it, so I made an offer of thirty bits, and he gave it to me. He was the only pony in a crowd that actually looked at me directly, and gave it to me at the first offer, no haggling. It was about time to read what I'd bought. "Okay, my brilliant purchase of a thick, hardcover book, with shapes that I don't understand on the cover."_


	4. A Party and a Painting

**Okay, chapter four. I hope it's appreciated, and I hope soon to get some reviews. It'd be pretty nice to know I'm doing a good job, you know? But as long as I like the story I'll keep writing it. And I like it. Thank you for reading this, and now, onto the part you all knew was coming.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. I'm just a fan, writing a story. Thank you, and have a nice read.  
…**

"Wow." Sky said. "It's a nice looking little town out there." I held the pole up while the other ponies pulled the ropes down tight, hammering them in with heavy duty stakes. When they were done, I settled on the ground and looked around. "Hey Ace! You should come up here and check this out! The town is beautiful!"

"I'll take your word for it!" I called. The others laughed. Some were aware that I had a 'situation' with my wings, but thus far, three ponies knew what that meant. They were also trying to get me to be proud of my wings, but it wasn't going to happen anytime too soon. I don't like having a lot of attention unless I can have some distance from it, and a way to stay until the crowd walks out. "Any sign of the sun coming up?" She flapped her wings to stay in place, but she looked down.

"Nothing yet!" She called. She flew down and landed near us and stretched her wings. "I wonder what's going on…" I shrugged as the others went to the next tent to be put up. "Well, we've got some time, dad said we can go and see about getting something." I looked over her shoulder. "What?" The sun was rising fast, and she looked as the rest of the camp became active, with everyone talking. "Whoa, the sun. It's…"

"Finally coming up." I said. The chatter all around made my put my hoof to my chin. "What did we miss?"

"Everyone!" Specs called. We looked to the gate as she jumped up and made an amplifier cone float in front of her mouth. "Everypony listen! Yesterday morning, Nightmare Moon came back _from_ the moon!" There was quiet, fearful chatter. "Princess Celestia disappeared, and no one knows what happened to her! The fact that the sun is, well, rising, must mean that she has defeated Nightmare Moon!" A lot of the camp cheered, stamping their front hooves alternately to express their excitement. I just rubbed my chin while Sky looked at the sunrise again. "I believe we should head into town and see if Princess Celestia will return!" There was more cheering and ponies ran past while Sky looked at me.

"Hmm…" I mumbled quietly.

"Ace?" She asked. I looked at the sky and rose onto my hind hooves and put my front hooves together, closing my eyes.

"Money should be raining from the sky, directly into the barrels by our tents." I said. Sky laughed.

"Ace, what the heck are you doing?" She asked. I settled onto the ground and looked at her.

"Yesterday, I mentioned to Specs the legend of the Mare in the Moon." I said. "And so it came to pass, yesterday morning before Princess Celestia made the sun rise for the solstice, Nightmare Moon came _back_ from her banishment." She blinked. "I mentioned it, and it happened." I pointed at a rain barrel. "So let's start hoping my word can pull in a little money for all of us." She laughed loudly while I looked up. "Hey, _may_be…" She slugged my shoulder and I laughed quietly.

"Let's go." She said. "There's going to be a _huge_ celebration for this! You _can't_ miss out on this." I sighed and started walking with her, and she put her wing over my shoulder, pulling me into a jog, and then into a run. I couldn't help but laugh as we caught up with the crowd.

"Sky, calm down." I said. "If there is to be a celebration, it'll last all day." She smiled as we turned along the side and went ahead, her wing moving back, but I kept running, genuinely happy to be going out of the grounds.  
…

I sighed contentedly as I settled onto my stomach. Sky was inside with the others, but I opted to eat outside and enjoy the sounds of the festivities where I could hear myself think. Specs was doing, something. Knowing her as I did, she was probably trying to find something interesting to 'inspect', like a chocolate fountain or somepony with a spell she hadn't seen. She loved doing research on magic of any kind, to the point that she wanted to see Pegasus 'cloud walking magic' in action, probably from a low flying cloud so she could watch our hooves touching the 'surface'.

'This was completely worth leaving the grounds.' I thought. I licked my lips. 'And the cheesecakes here are, fantastic. They don't need magic.' I laughed quietly and settled my head on my hooves to watch the horizon. It was always fun to be at a party, but I was always at the outside of the whole thing. They knew I wasn't very social most of the time. If I was, it was because I was genuinely interested in who I was talking to. 'Now, if only I could stretch my wings out and lay in the sun… It'd be a perfect day.' After a few seconds I heard something, but didn't move. As the party went on, I looked at the building and heard somepony clearing their throat.

"Please don't move." A male voice said. I looked to see, a painter's easel and an Earth Pony wearing a white canvas jacket with a great deal of pockets and, paintbrushes, tubes of paint, a few pallets tied to a belt around on his side. His coat was dark amber, with a white-ish mane. What struck me as strange was that he was wearing long black boots. "Could you look at the horizon again? That was a perfect pose."

"Um, who, are you?" I asked.

"Alexander Brushstroke." He said, leaning out. He wore a light green beret with a pair of quills stuck in it. "Now, please?" He pointed a brush at the horizon.

"I, would really prefer you not paint me." I said.

"Don't worry, this one's free." He said. "I'll just make one copy so I can remember it. Five minutes, tops." I stared for a moment. "I promise." I slowly put my head on my hooves again.

"Why are you painting me?" I asked. "There's better scenery without me."

"No, goodness no, completely the opposite, good sir." He said. "Your silver coat, the sun shining on it, your dark blue mane a great contrast, resting beneath a faded black cloak amidst the green grass and brown earth… Something about the contrast of a lone Earth Pony near such a large scene of reveling ponies in a festive atmosphere, it speaks to me. You have found a place where you are comfortable, not bothered by the festivities, you join them by calmly celebrating on your own instead of sharing in their more energetic antics…" I laughed quietly as he went back to painting.

"I, I'm actually a Pegasus." I said quietly.

"Oh?" He asked. "Yet you hide your wings?"

"I, have my reasons." I said.

"Well, all the more mystique to your cloak." He said. "I can truly feel it now. An air of quiet mystery, one of peace, yet you aren't lonely. You are out here by choice, but as you said, you have your reasons… Yes, that's the title. Reasons." I smiled a little. "What is your name?"

"Ace." I said.

"The Reasons, of an Ace." He said. "_That_, is a title. And it is done." I looked over as he turned the easel. I looked at the painting and got up. "What do you think?" I walked over and stared at it.

"W-wow." I said quietly. "It looks… So real. Better, than a photo." He laughed quietly.

"I've been painting since I was a foal." He said. "I found a brush, started painting, and earned my Cutie Mark. This is my calling." I smiled a little. "I'll make a quick copy of this from the original, so I can remember this. Later, of course. I have to let this one dry." I nodded as I stepped back.

"Thank you." I said.

"No problem." He said. "Where do you live? I'll bring it by once it's ready."

"There." I said, pointing to the circus grounds.

"Ah, a circus performer." He said. "Aerobat?"

"T-tightrope walker." I said. I adjusted my glasses. "I, don't like anypony seeing my wings, unless they're, really close friends." He nodded.

"I understand." He said. "Don't want to show the others up, eh?"

"No…" I said. "My wings are, strange… And, no, I won't…"

"I see." He said. "Well, I'll get this to you in a few days, and I will try to catch a show. Perhaps I can paint you while you're walking the tightrope, during practice of course." I nodded. "For now, I'm going to find something else to paint. I hear that the princesses are in town. Perhaps they will permit me to paint them a proper portrait. I might call it 'Reunited, a Thousand Years Apart'."

"That sounds good." I said. "I, guess I'll see you in a few days."  
…

"Ace, what are you doing?" Sky asked. I looked at her.

"Putting a painting frame together." I said.

"Oh, you met Brushstroke?" She asked. I nodded. "Cool. He did a group portrait of the ponies that stopped Nightmare Moon and saved Princess Luna. And the princesses asked him to paint one for them, to commemorate the _return_ of Princess Luna."

"He said he wanted to do that." I said. "I'm glad he got his chance."

"So, he did yours first?" She asked. I shrugged.

"I think so." I said. "I was just, sitting, minding my own business, and he started painting. I figured, when he was done, he'd let me get back to my day. It… Was a pretty good picture. Very realistic." I laughed as I went back to the frame. "If I didn't know that he was an Earth Pony, I'd say it was magic." She laughed as she walked in. "So, what else is up?"

"Well, we're going to have some special guests in a few days." She said. "When we formally open, the six ponies that represent the elements, get this, will be _in the audience_." I looked at her.

"You're pulling my wing." I said. She shook her head with a wide grin.

"And from what I hear, three of them are going to perform!" She said in a higher tone. "This is _way too cool_! I mean, they're calling them the heroes of Equestria, and they're going to _perform in our circus_! How awesome is that?!" I laughed.

"Pretty awesome." I said.

"Ace, how can you be so calm?" She asked. "This is _huge_! They saved all of Equestria from eternal night, separated the evil from Princess Luna that made her into Nightmare Moon, and they're _actually_ going to perform in _our_ circus! Ace, they're the most famous ponies in all of Equestria, and they're performing! With _us_!" She let out a squeal of joy. "This means we're going to be _world famous_. Wherever we go, we'll draw even _bigger_ crowds than usual. Ace, we're going to get a chance to actually _perform with them_! Twilight Sparkle, the one that gathered them together and helped them discover their connection to the Elements of Harmony, is going to pick three names, and whoever she chooses is going to perform with one of the three that performs!"

"Well, that's nice and all, but, I'll keep my name out." I said.

"Sorry, but dad won't let you out of this." She said. I sighed. "Come on, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity… Well, three, really. One pony might get picked twice, or all three times. How awesome would that be if you were picked at all? Let alone more than once, or all three times?!"

"Awesome for you, not so much for me." I said. "You know how I get. If I'm not on the wire around a crowd, I… I lock up. I'm useless. I have to fly up through a hole in the top of the main tent just to get into position, or I lose it."

"Ace, you have to get over that." She said seriously. "I mean, you met Alexander Brushstroke, and he didn't make you freeze…"

"Yeah, but that was one pony." I said. "If I had to stand on the ground in front of, of, a thousand…" I started shaking and she walked over. "I, I'll get sick, throw up, make a total fool of myself… I-I'd never…"

"Ace, cool it, or you'll get a stomach ache." She said softly. I couldn't stop shaking, and she put her wing over my shoulders. "Shh, calm down. I, I'll tell dad. Jeeze, it really is bad… Not like before, but… Better than it, was…" I stopped shaking, but I was actually close to being terrified at that point.

"Sky, I don't like it when you stop in the middle of a sentence like that." I said. She smiled a little. "No. Whatever it is, no. I'm not doing it. I won't even get picked, I'll make sure of it."

"Your mask, Shades." She said.

"No, just, no." I said. "No way. Not happening…" I started shaking again. "Sky even with the mask, m-my wings…"

"We can say it's part of the act." She said. "We'll tie down the cloak so your wings won't show, no matter what. We'll say outright that it's to make sure your wings don't show. Wear the mask, use the stage name, and not one pony will know who you are. We'll even put your name in as Shades." I shook my head.

"No, I, I just, I can't." I said. "No."

"If you feel that way on that day, I'll have dad take your name out." She said. "I promise. If I forget… I'll give you the whole cheesecake, you won't have to ever put up with one of my harebrained ideas. Deal?" I shook slightly less, and stopped.

"F-fine." I said. "Just… Let me get back to this… I need to, focus on something else."

"Good night Ace." She said. "I'll get you your slice in the morning, since… We ate so much at the celebration." I laughed quietly.

"Sounds good." I said. "Breakfast of, champions."  
…

"_Ace, you don't have to do it if you don't want to." The Unicorn said. I couldn't see her face, but I knew I could trust her. Her dark blue mane, so much like mine, put me at ease, and her light gray coat calmed me considerably. Until…_

"_Ace, time for your flying lesson." A bright golden Pegasus called happily. He had a jet black mane, and his coat was… All but _metallic_ yellow. I kind of trusted him, but something always made me afraid of him. His face was hidden by shadows, as was the Unicorn's, but that didn't stop me from being afraid of him. "Are you ready?" I looked at the Unicorn, and felt sadness from her, but not fear._

"_He really should finish this book first." She said. "You know how I worry about him falling behind in his studies."_

"_He'll be off to flight camp soon." He said. "If he doesn't get in some real training before he heads off, he'll have a much harder time. This can't be put off for too long. At least three hours a day of study, and three of flying practice. That's what he suggested. And he's read for three and a half as it is. Can't let him go back on his word now, can we?" She sighed._

"_That's true." She said. "Ace…" I swallowed. "When you're done, you can read some more. For now, just try to remember where we were at. But if you don't want to…"_

"_I, I'll remember." I said. "I don't want to, go back on my word." She nodded, and I sensed a little pride from her, but more sorrow, while the Pegasus laughed quietly as a sense of victory seemed to almost glow from behind his coat. He was decidedly smug about my words, though I couldn't place why, at first. I walked over to him and he led me out of the room toward the edge of a cloud._

"_Okay." He said. "Like we practiced. This time, you'll glide down to that cloud right there." He pointed to a cloud some eight hundred feet away. I swallowed as I looked at it. "Keep your wings steady, stretched out, and give it your best. I want you to glide for three hundred feet, do three backflips, do a side roll either direction, and another opposite it, and dive the last two hundred to land, like a hawk." I nodded shakily. "Don't get overconfident and you'll 'Ace' this." I stepped back. "Good run up, hard flap with a strong jump. Like we practiced."_

'_H-here goes, nothing.' I thought. I ran forward as fast as I could and jumped, flapping my wings hard, and I got a good distance from the cloud. I glided, measuring the distance to the target, and began doing backflips, counting them before stopping. I rolled to the right, and then back, and I flew up a bit before going into a reasonable dive, pulling up just in time to land on my hind hooves. As I set down, I heard a disappointed sigh. The Pegasus had landed before me. "D-did I do it right?"_

"_You started the flips ten feet too soon, flew too far to the left, and the dive was too shallow." He said. "You went too slow, too, careful. Where's your sense of pride? I said not to get overconfident, but that doesn't mean you should play it safe." He tapped my forehead with his wing. "Take a chance and live a little. Give it your all and make sure you're proud of what you did, with a reason to _be_ proud of it, boy!"_

"_I, I was proud, of that." I said quietly. "I, I did my best."_

"_No, your best would be to do the whole thing in six seconds, flawless execution." He said. "Fourteen seconds with glaring mistakes like that will never win you medals. When I was your age, I pulled off moves three times that hard, and landed _perfectly_. You landed, like a barn owl." I lowered my head. "Don't get me wrong, that was a good effort, and that's something to be happy with, but it's a far cry from something to be proud of. I moved these clouds here to train you, but if you want to be like me, you'll do this kind of stuff on stone sooner or later. Those moves? You'll be in the hospital three times out of five." I lowered my head further. "Go back up and try it again. And take off those glasses. You can't look cool if you look like a geek." I turned and flew up to the other cloud, and saw my rain cloak sitting by the door, and the Unicorn was walking inside, something strange in the air from her. I stared at the cloak and turned slightly, seeing the Pegasus tapping his hoof impatiently. But, looking above him, I saw a forest, a place I could outfly him, and beyond that…_

'_A wagon train…' I thought. The sun was already starting to set. He knew he couldn't fly well at night, while I could._

"_Well?" He called. His words echoed in my mind._

'_Give it your all…' I thought. 'Take a chance…' I quickly put on the cloak and moved my wings out from under it. 'And live.' I ran forward as fast as I could and jumped harder than ever, flapping so hard I knew I'd disbursed some of the cloud, and I flew far above him._

"_What are you doing?" He called. "You can't do tricks with a rain cloak!" I flew down and over him, punching through the cloud as he cried out. "Ace!" I flew toward the forest and weaved around the trees, going from one path to another, hearing him behind me crashing through branches. "Ace, ow, get back here! What the, yow! Ace, what do you think you're doing?! Forest training, is for when…" His voice faded and I flew forward, moving low and galloping for a moment to go under some branches before jumping up and avoiding even more. I saw the train and flew low to the ground, and up a little. As I got close, I looked back to see that he hadn't surfaced yet. He wouldn't make the connection. How I knew that, was beyond, even me._

'_I'm gonna do something I can be proud of.' I thought. 'But, I can't… I can't be you. I have to be _me_.' I landed on the roof of a wagon and saw a hatch, so I opened it and quickly dropped in, landing on, a pile of mattresses. I sighed as I undid my cloak. 'I, I'll join a circus…' I looked up and saw a crate with, a picture of a circus tent, and the words 'Horatio Cloudrunner's Travelling Circus Extraordinaire'. 'Well, that's, pretty convenient.'_


	5. Gathering a few Things

**Sorry for not posting in a while. I just couldn't motivate myself to, and I wanted to make sure the chapter was perfect. And to those that make requests for characters (Which I am happy to do), I have a few more chapters already written, so it might be a while before I get them in. Just so you know in advance. I'm about to, chapter ten on my own I believe.**

**I really hope you all like this story. I've worked pretty hard on it, after all. But apart from that, I write for my readers, not just because I want to write… Okay, that's part of the reason, but mostly for all of you.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. I'm glad I don't. Because I don't think I could get it anywhere near as fun to watch as it already is. The most I could do is say 'stay the course' and maybe add in a certain circus and its performers'.  
…**

I inhaled quietly as I opened the door to the library. Twilight Sparkle, one of the six heroes and bearer of the Element of Magic, and now, the village's librarian. Hopefully I wouldn't make a total idiot out of myself, but I really wanted to get my books. Sky wouldn't understand why I wanted the books I was after, and Specs would probably read the books before I ever got my hooves on them, around a few weeks later. This was something I had to do for myself. Besides, Sky would get too flustered around a 'living legend' to be able to ask for the books I wanted in a timely manner.

"Um, hello?" I asked.

"Just a second." A young male voice said. I looked around. "Come on in. I'll be done soon." I walked in and looked around, and immediately I felt the familiar sensation of joy from seeing so many books. It was like a dream to be surrounded by so much knowledge. Walls of information that asked only that you turn a page to be able to learn something you never knew before, sometimes things you never knew were possible. Some Unicorns loved books so much, they'd have libraries in their homes, no matter the size of the home in question, even if they had to build the shelves from scratch. "Hey, can you pass me that book?" I looked over my shoulder and up, and saw a small purple dragon with green spikes on his back. "By your right front hoof?" I looked down and saw a book, so I leaned down and gently bit it and walked over to the ladder, climbing partly up it, leaning to reach his outstretched hand. He took it and put it on the shelf as I backed down and stepped away from the ladder. "Thanks."

"No problem." I said quietly. "Um, is, Twilight Sparkle here?"

"She's writing a letter to Princess Celestia." He said. "She'll be down in a few minutes." He climbed down the ladder and looked at me. "Maybe I can help. I'm her assistant, Spike." He held out his hand, so I slowly moved my hoof to it.

"Ace." I said. "I, was looking for a few, particular books." I turned slightly and pulled out a list, and he took it to look over.

"Okay, I know where these are." He said. "I guess your friend was busy?"

"They're, for me." I said. "I've got a decent collection already… I, need these to finish the advanced section… And the beginner's." He stared at me before shrugging.

"Well, no one said Earth Ponies couldn't _study_ magic." He said.

"Pegasus…" I said quietly.

"Really?" He asked. I moved my wing slightly, but just so he'd see the cloak move. "Cool. I'll go find these. If you see any others you want, let me know. Or let Twilight know if she comes down." He started walking toward another room. "Oh, and if she does while I'm in here, let her know I'll be back in a minute or two."

"Okay." I said. I looked at a nearby wall and spotted an interesting book sitting against several others. I walked up to it and looked at it for a few seconds. "Supernaturals…" I opened it and looked through the contents for a moment. "It's a book on botany _and_ basic alchemy, and afflictions and cures, too. Cool." I looked through a few pages when I heard hooves on wood, so I looked to the stairs to see a purple coated Unicorn with a dark blue, nearly sapphire mane walking down with a rolled up note floating in front of her. Her tail, and her mane, had a streak of violet and a streak of bright rose. She looked over as I closed the book. "H-hello."

"Hi." She said. "Are you looking to check anything out, or are you buying?" I nodded.

"Y-yes." I said. "Spike is looking for the ones I came for… If, you have most of them."

"Well, while he's doing that, I'll get you a card." She said.

"I don't know if I'll need one." I said. "I'm, here with the circus. We'll only be around for a few months."

"If you come back around, you might be able to use it." She said. "If you just want to check a few out, it'll be easier."

"Well, if it's no trouble." I said.

"It's fine." She said. "Just wait by this table and I'll get a card for you." I nodded as she walked over to a desk as I grabbed the book and walked over to the table, setting it down. "So, are you just checking them out?"

"I'm buying." I said. "Mostly just to, bolster my collection." She looked through the desk as I looked at the book for a moment.

"Found the books you wanted." Spike said. "And a few that you might consider. You're buying these?"

"Yes." I said, looking over. He walked up to the table and set them down.

"Spike, could you send that letter to Princess Celestia?" Twilight asked. She walked over as Spike picked it up and inhaled as he turned away. He blew a green flame out and it incinerated the letter into sparkling smoke that flew out of an open window. "Thank you."

"Sure." He said. "By the way, this is Ace. He's got a familiar taste in books." She walked over with the card and set it, and a quill, on the table next to an inkwell.

"Really?" She asked. She made a book float and opened it, and they both looked in it as I wrote my name fairly quickly before putting the quill down, before they could see. "I remember this one. Picking these up for a friend?"

"He has a collection of spell books." Spike said. "Apparently, these should finish his beginner and advanced level sets. I picked up a few from higher up. Some really good ones." She looked at the spines of them as she set the other book down. "So, are you gonna sign the card?"

"I already did." I said. Twilight looked at it and made it float.

"Ace, Stormrider…" She said. "Why does that name seem familiar?" I shrugged.

"Coincidence, most likely." I said. She moved the card back to me and I put it in my bag.

"Well, this comes to thirty seven bits." She said. I pulled out a bag and counted out the bits while Spike walked around.

"Thirty, seven." I said quietly. He pulled the coins into a box. "I have a friend that might come by sooner or later. I would have asked her to get these, but she'd probably get them mixed up with her own collection, if you get my meaning." They laughed as I put the books into my other bag. "She'll definitely want a card."

"Wait, I just remembered where I know your name." She said. I looked at her, somewhat worried. She _was_ from Canterlot, so maybe… "Alexander Brushstroke painted a picture of you. I was thinking that your mane was familiar." I blushed and laughed quietly. "I should have recognized you from your cloak."

"Well, I wear it everywhere." I said. "But, I try not to draw attention." I laughed quietly. "Sometimes, I feel like I've got some kind of magic that makes me hard to notice, or recognize… Not that I mind too much." I added the last part more to myself than to them.

"I'm glad to meet you." She said. She bowed, and I returned it before I could stop myself. Most ponies not from Canterlot wouldn't understand, but it was something I didn't mean to do.

"I'm honored to meet you." I said. As I stood, she looked at me oddly. "Um, do I have something in my teeth?"

"Oh, sorry." She said, shaking her head. "I just haven't seen anypony who wasn't from Canterlot bow like that… Or at all."

"Old habit." I said quietly. "I, lived in Canterlot, for a few years, a, a long time ago. You pick things up as you live, right?" She laughed and nodded.

"Yeah." She said. "Well, I hope we see you soon."

"You will." I said. "I'm with the circus, after all."

"So…" She said. "What do you do?"

"Ooh, I know." Spike said. We looked at him. "I saw a poster. He's the tightrope walker. No net either."

"That doesn't sound very safe." Twilight said.

"Well, he's a Pegasus." He said. "He can fly if he falls. I heard from a Pegasus named Sky Cloudrunner that he fell off a few days ago, and _just_ avoided hitting the ground, and he got back on the highest post before anypony could see his wings!" I smiled, but blushed deeper. "She said he flies better than _any_ of the aerobatic ponies." I looked down.

"Spike, you're embarrassing him." She said somewhat sternly.

"Oh, sorry…" He said.

"No, I'm not embarrassed…" I said. "It's just, I'm hardly that good." I laughed as I looked up. "Doesn't stop a good friend from trying to say I'm better than I really am though." Spike laughed.

"Sure sounds like a _good friend_." He said. Twilight nudged him as I picked the 'Supernaturals' book up, but set it down.

"Um, you got this one in the total?" I asked. She nodded.

"Yes." She said. "I don't think I've read that one, but I know I've got at least two of nearly every book here." I put it away as she smiled. "So, I'll see you, in a few days. Maybe we'll pick your name."

"I, kind of hope, not." I said. "I, I don't do well with crowds, unless I'm on the wire or, flying where they, can't see me… I would have gone into Sugarcube Corner, but… It, it was pretty packed." She sighed.

"No kidding there." She said. "I could barely get from the counter to a table without having to push past half of _Ponyville_, and I barely had time to eat with all of the questions they were asking me. Is it like that with your act? I mean, apart from the whole 'nearly magical' ability to go unnoticed."

"Sometimes, after a really close call…" I said. "Well, when I fall, anyway. I'm glad they're concerned, but, I have to slip away half the time." She laughed.

"Maybe you can teach me that trick." She said. I smiled a little.

"It's not that hard." I said. "Just…" I lowered my head and slowly moved back. "Lower your head a little, make yourself small, back away, and they'll stop noticing you even if they're looking right at you. Just use the crouch and get to the shadows, and you can get home without anypony being any wiser." She smiled as I stood up. "I should get going though." I bowed again. "It was an honor to meet you."  
…

"You met _Twilight Sparkle_?" Sky and Specs asked together.

"Did you meet the others?" Sky asked quickly.

"Did you mind your manners?" Specs asked seriously. They started talking so fast I lost track of who said what, so I held my hoof up.

"Hey, I went to buy some books." I said. "Yes, I was polite, but no, it was just Miss Sparkle and a baby dragon named Spike." Specs squealed while Sky smiled widely.

"Wow, a baby dragon?" Specs asked.

"Y-yeah, a baby dragon." I said. "I was just trying to get my books. Small, purple scales, green spikes, light greenish white belly scales, arrow tipped tail… And he got most of the books except for one. And Specs, I told her you'd probably be by sooner or later. She'll probably be ready for you." She squealed quietly as Sky nudged my shoulder.

"So, did you talk to her?" She asked.

"Yeah, a little." I said. "It was really nice to meet her. She's friendly, inquisitive, and, she seems really nice. She's, got a really wide selection of books. I might go borrow a few books now and then for my time after my acts."

"What did you talk about?" Specs asked. "The books you bought?"

"A little." I said. "Then they recognized my name, that I have a portrait from Brushstroke, and… That I'm the high-wire Pegasus, and that _Sky_ mentioned that I fly better than the aerobatics troupe." They laughed. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, but it won't get me in the air."

"Well, I was just giving my opinion." She said. "It can't hurt to support my best friend." I laughed quietly and held my hoof up, which she tapped with her own. "So, what books did you get?"

"Oh, just the usual stuff I get." I said.

"The only times you leave the circus grounds, and you get books we never see." She said. "Come on, just one book. Tell us what kinds of books you look for… Romance?"

"No." I said. I moved over to the one book I left out and they walked over, and I pulled the small cloth off of it. "Supernaturals. Plants with nearly magical effects, recipes for alchemy. Stuff like that."

"Wow, that's a neat cover." Specs said. "Can I borrow it later?"

"There are copies at the library." I said. "I've barely started on it." She laughed as Sky looked at the cover.

"It's really neat looking." She said. "When you're done, maybe, I can borrow it? I don't have much time lately, what with all of the practice I have to do."

"Sure." I said.

"Not fair." Specs laughed.

"She wants it when I've read it through." I said. "You want it as soon as you can get it." They both laughed.

"Well, I've got to go." Sky said.

"I need to see about a few orders." Specs said. "See you later."

"And Ace, flight practice, you and me?" Sky asked.

"Sounds good." I said after a few seconds. "I need to shake off the cobwebs, in case I fall again. I had thirty feet more to work with than if I'd have been on my normal spot. That was just too close." She nodded as Specs walked out. "See you later Sky."

"See ya." She said. She turned and walked out while I adjusted my glasses. I sat down and opened the book again, to where I was when I was in the library.

'Poison Joke…' I read. I read silently for a few minutes before grimacing. "Random afflictions? Talk about messed up…" I read on and saw an antidote to its effects. "Useful to know."  
…

I stretched my back and walked to the flap of the tent when Sky stuck her head in, stopping before we collided. She just smiled as I stepped back.

"What's up?" I asked.

"We're almost ready." She said. "The opening night is two days away, and I got to meet one of the Ponies that saved Equestria…" She squealed excitedly as she walked in. "Rainbow Dash!" I was silent for a moment.

"Some, kind of, drink?" I suggested. She laughed.

"That's her name." She said. "She's _awesome_! I got to see her fly… Ace, she's as good as I am! Better! I bet she'd give _you_ a run for your bits!" I sat down and she laughed. "If you could pluck up the courage to fly in public, at least." She smiled widely. "But she's really fast, and she can pull off moves almost as good as what I've seen _you_ do. Even dad 'd flip seeing her do _half_ of what she did! She's got this trick where she, she _runs_ while still flying, on the ground! It's unreal, and then, she pulls off these moves so awesome… I, I can't even _describe_ how awesome it was!" Her wings opened quickly. "Ace, she pulled off a move so cool, it made a _flash_ of light!" I blinked.

"And you say _I'm_ good." I said. "I don't have a move like that to my name…"

"Yeah, but I know you could do it!" She squealed quietly. If her voice got any higher, dogs a few miles away would come to see what the noise was.

"Sky, your head's going to implode if you keep up with that voice." I said seriously. She laughed and walked over beside me, putting her wing over my shoulder.

"Ace, you might just have to learn from her." She said. "You've _got_ to learn those moves. You, you learn faster than anypony I've ever known." She walked me out of the door. "And you could teach me what you come up with based on those moves. I know you can do it. Remember the 'Gallant Dive'? You learned that from my dad, came up with 'Heroic Plummet', and taught it to me not three days later. Imagine what you could do if _she_ taught you."

"I'm pretty sure she'd be a little annoyed at me making moves based on her stuff." I said. "Your dad said that the Heroic Plummet was cool, better than his version, but I had his permission because I told him I had an idea on how to improve it. I'd need her permission, and, I really don't want to chance her watching me."

"Ace, this is the opportunity of a _lifetime_." She said quickly. "She's awesome, you're awesome, and if you learned from her, the move you'd create would be… Wicked awesome!" I laughed quietly. "Come on, please? I _know_ you'll make something _sweet_… I'll teach her what you come up with, and I _know_ she'll like it!"

"If you get her permission for, _someone_ to make a new move based on it, maybe." I said. "It's not like I always come up with something better… Remember the 'Devil's Glider'?" She blushed. "Yeah, not only did I not improve it, my attempt landed me in a leg cast for two weeks, and it would have been three if I hadn't hit that rabbit hutch." She blushed deeper, but snickered. "Don't make promises I can't keep. That's all I'm saying… Speaking of promises though." She laughed as we got near the breakfast table near her tent. I looked to see the cake, and I licked my lips.

"Hey, Ace, uh, do you ever think about getting new glasses?" She asked. I had a feeling she'd ask that sooner or later. My birthday was a few months ago, but around five months after, she'd want to get a jumpstart since I was kind of hard to shop for. I knew she'd ask about something.

"No." I said. I adjusted said glasses. "These are just fine, and I think they look good on me. Copper frames, impeccably clean lenses, and they fit _perfectly_. When these no longer fit, or break, _then_ I'll get a new pair." She laughed quietly. "Though my cloak needs a little work… Maybe I need a sewing kit."

"Ace, we both know what's going on…" She said after a second.

"I can't think of anything." I said. "Maybe get a gift early? I'm serious about the sewing kit."

"How about a new cloak?" She asked. "That one's great, but, it's getting, a little hard to maintain. The color's fading, it's ragged, falling apart, and the collar is pretty much ready to call it quits to holding the clasp and rope on. It's gonna fall off sooner or later." I sighed.

"I, I've had it for ten years…" I said. "I had it lengthened and widened a little to fit right… I could…"

"Ace…" She said quietly.

"Well, I guess…" I said.

"It won't be a birthday present though." She said. "I asked this time, not because of your birthday, but for the opening, so you can look nice… I still want an idea for your birthday though, while I'm at it." I laughed quietly.

"Well, just, keep it simple." I said. "Nothing, nothing fancy or dramatic. I may wear it in my act, but, we don't have to go overboard… Maybe, have the end like my wings? Points on the end to make it look like folded wings so big they can't totally fold back?" She smiled a little.

"Sure." She said. "That'd work."

"But still long enough to reach over my flank." I said. "And I was serious about the sewing kit. I might take that up so I don't have to send the cloak out to get it worked on… And my blanket needs a little patching, the curtains need a little mending, and goodness knows, I could stand to learn a new skill I can actually use." She laughed as she sat by her food.

"Consider it done." She said. "But for now, the most important meal of the day, eh?"


	6. Nostalgia, a book, and a Promise

**Chapter six. I hope I'm keeping a good pace, though it does feel like I am. Regardless, here we are. I hope you all like it. Please leave a review. I don't know how I'm doing if no one tells me. Honestly, how could an artist get better if no one told them how they could improve, or at least 'keep working toward this general area that you seem to be strong in'. I accept flames happily. After all, what's the point in buying marshmallows if you don't toast them over flames? At that point, they're at their tastiest. *Very small Kiwi bird holds up a stick with a marshmallow with his foot* Now, onto the part that always comes after me voicing random things, sometimes including Peewee, the highly epic miniature Demon Kiwi. *Peewee waves the marshmallow before biting the stick and walking toward a lit candle***

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Thank you, and have a nice day.  
…**

_"Okay…" Specs said. "Measurements, complete, except for your wings."_

_"And those aren't needed." I said._

_"Just in case." She said. "A serious tailor would want to know everything that could affect how comfortable it is."_

_"I close the clasp in front of my neck, it drapes over my back." I said._

_"If it's too heavy to pull your wings out when you need to fly though…" She said. I sighed. "Open 'em." I opened my wings and she made the measuring tape go from tip to tip. "Is that your full wingspan?" I sighed and opened them completely, and she whistled. "Wow. Big wings." I was silent as she wrote the measurements. "Okay. I'll take these in to the Carousel Boutique to get it started. You just want it simple and black? Nothing special?"_

_"I can't think of anything special I want done." I said. "I'm just replacing the old cloak because it's, starting to get to where I'll have to fix it often, and eventually it'll be more stitching than cloak." I closed my wings and moved them under said cloak as she put the notes in her saddlebag._

_"Thanks for asking me for this." She said. "Did you know that the boutique is owned by one of the ponies that saved Equestria?"_

_"Seriously?" I asked. She nodded._

_"Her name is Rarity, and she's the bearer of Generosity." She said. "She charges just enough to keep the Carousel Boutique open and to cover personal costs. Since she lives there, she doesn't have as many bills. Makes things pretty easy I bet." She giggled. "She's also a Unicorn, and her eye for fashion is pretty good, if the rumors around town are true." I laughed quietly._

_"Well then, I guess I'm getting a top quality cloak." I said. We both laughed as she made her saddlebag settle onto her back._

_"See you later." She said. "I'll pick the cloak up if you want." I thought for a moment._

_"N-no, I can do it." I said. She looked at me curiously. "Sky wouldn't stop bugging me to, start going outside of the grounds, so if it'll keep her out of my mane, then, I guess I'll start doing my own errands." She smiled. 'In most towns at least.' She nodded and walked away while I walked over to my travel trunk, but as I went to open it, I stopped and looked at the mirror. I walked over and looked at my face. 'Be more confident… Sky keeps telling me that. I guess, I should try. Even if it takes, a long time…' I smiled a little. 'I guess, I don't look, too bad. Kind of, calm looking. Friendly, and just, a little bit…' I sighed. "Unnoticeable." I laughed after a moment, lowering my voice so that only I would hear it, in case anypony was close enough to overhear anything else. "A good trick to have when I need it." After a moment of looking at my reflection, I turned back, smiling a little, and pulled out the key and unlocked the chest. "A little light reading should help pass the time."_  
…

"Hello, I'm, here to pick up my order?" I said to the empty room. I looked around and saw a large number of mannequins, no two adorned with the same dress, suit, or hat. "Wow… This is good work." I looked around as I slowly walked in.

"Just a moment." A female voice called from nearby. It was most likely Rarity, since I had heard that she worked alone. "I'm putting on the finishing touches for a very special order… What is your name?" I swallowed nervously.

"Ace Stormrider." I said.

"Ah, you're just in time." She called. "I just need a few minutes to finish your new cloak. There is some fresh tea and some cookies if you'd like." I looked to see a tray with said items on it. I slowly walked over and poured two cups, in case she was thirsty, and I took a sip from the closer cup. It was, different, but very good. "I hope you like the tea. It's Darjeeling." I nodded, mostly to myself.

"Yes, it's very good, thank you." I said. I waited for a few minutes and the door opened. A mannequin with a deep black cloak floated out, the hood drawn up and there was light silver threading along the hem and near the collar, and it was just like I'd described it, like a pair of wings too big to fully fold against the body, yet closed seamlessly. "Wow, that, that's, perfect."

"Well, it's only perfect if it fits." She said. "I understand your friend was precise in her measurements?"

"Y-yes, very." I said. She walked out and she looked at me before the other cup floated over to her while the mannequin was set down.

"Thank you." She said. I nodded as she sipped it and set it on a saucer that floated over, but she looked at me. "I suppose I finished none too soon." She walked over and her glasses adjusted as she looked me over. I suddenly found myself nervous. "Your current cloak is all but worn out… Though, you've had work done on it. Quite a lot."

"Well, I, I'm not much one for shopping, or, having new cloaks made." I said. "I've, had this one for a little over twelve years now… My, my mother made it for me as a colt, and…" She walked around me, looking at my stitch work closely. "I, I've since modified it to, fit properly…"

"Not the best work I've ever seen, but actually, quite impressive." She said. "Subtle threading, almost perfectly matched and faded with the original thread and material, lengthened, with very similar material for that matter… And almost identical thread count all throughout. You said you were the one to, modify it?" I nodded as she looked at me.

"Yes." I said. "I, do a lot of reading, so, one day, when it was starting to get too short, I, borrowed a book on sewing, and, made adjustments where I could to, lengthen it." She stepped back and seemed in thought for a moment.

"I think, I can save it." She said.

"I, think I'll just keep it in, in my travel trunk." I said.

"Oh, don't worry, it's no trouble." She said. "Just leave it here and I'll make it look as good, if not a little better, than when it was brand new… Well, apart from the size, of course." I looked at it for a moment and thought about it. "And don't worry about cost, a little restoration isn't any trouble at all." She went to grab the cloak with her magic when I stepped away. "Is something wrong?"

"W-well…" I started.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I completely forgot." She said. "Your friend told me how nervous you are about your wings. Please, the back room is free, so change your cloak and I promise I will make it look brand new." I looked at the room for a moment before finishing my tea.

"Th-thank you." I said. She smiled as I walked over to the mannequin, which began floating to the room. I followed it in and the door closed just as it set down on the floor. I saw another mannequin so I removed my cloak and draped it over carefully. I felt nervous being without the cloak, even when I was alone in the room, but I stretched my wings anyway, out of habit. The room was full of clothes on mannequins. Dresses, suits, hats, bows, ties, so many different styles, each one beautiful, amazing in unique ways. 'Wow, she really is good at this. But her Cutie Mark, is three diamonds… What does that mean?' I shook my head and looked at the new cloak for a moment before undoing the clasp and putting it on with a quick flip. It felt, comfortable, and a quick look made me wonder, until I looked under it. 'Silk on the inside, but the outside, is… What is that?' I felt it for a moment and laughed. 'Wow, it's soft, but waterproofed, something. I don't know what it is, but I like it.' I walked to the door and opened it to see her talking to another pony, and I recognized, that it was Twilight Sparkle.

"Ace?" She asked. They both looked at me.

"Oh, you've met?" Rarity asked.

"He came to the library the other afternoon." Twilight said. "Interesting books, but to each their own." I walked out. "Is that the cloak you were working on earlier?"

"Yes, and it came out _perfectly_." Rarity said, somewhat proudly. I smiled.

"Yes, it did." I said. I looked at it. "It fits perfectly, and, it's comfortable. But, I didn't know you were going to use silk on the inside."

"It spoke to me." She said. "I had a choice between silk or satin, and I felt that silk was a better choice."

"It is, thank you." I said. "What's the outer layer though? I've never felt anything like it, but, it's familiar."

"Oh, it's an old material that's rarely used, but it's perfect for a travel cloak." She said. "It works for formal or casual events, even just for walking in the rain." A name came to mind, and I couldn't stop myself.

"Fire Salamander leather?" I asked. She smiled.

"Why yes, how did you know?" She asked. "Were it not for me having bought more than I needed, it would have been very expensive. Actually, it's mostly used, by noble ponies in Canterlot, if I am not mistaken."

"W-well…" I said quietly.

"Did you hear about it when you lived in Canterlot?" Twilight asked. I was silent. "You said you lived there for a few years." Rarity gasped.

"Oh, why didn't you say so?" She asked. "I would have had it finished much faster had I known you were nobility."

"I, I'm not." I said. "I just, work at the circus… While I lived there, I, was on the edge of town… My father, had a cloak made of Fire Salamander leather though, a, gift from a friend of the family…"

"I see." She said. "But, yes, it is in fact Fire Salamander leather, completely fireproof, waterproof, and very durable. It should feel like that for years to come, and if an adult dragon caught sight of you, all you'd have to do is lower your head with the hood on, kneel down, and he could breathe all the fire he wants, and it wouldn't even get the ground under you warm." I smiled a little.

"Thank you." I said. She smiled and they began talking, so I put some money on the counter, a lot more than she asked for. As I went to walk away, a few floated back in front of me.

"It's only twenty bits, not thirty." She said. I looked at her.

"It's, for the nostalgia." I said. "I haven't thought of my old life for a long time. Thank you." She slowly took the coins back as I smiled.

"You're welcome." She said.

"Oh, Ace, before you go, I just got some new books in." Twilight said. I looked at her. "Since you're interested in books on magic and spell tomes, I thought you'd be interested in, this." A book floated out of her bag, and my eyes widened. I walked over as she looked at the cover. "A compendium for spells related to Pegasi. I'd heard from your friend, Specs, that you'd be here, so I wondered if you'd want it."

"Y-yes, I would, actually." I said. I moved to my bag of coins and she set it in my saddlebag. As I pulled out the coins, she laughed quietly.

"I've heard of walking around money, but, how deep is that little bag?" She asked. I couldn't help but laugh.

"It's a bag of holding." I said. "Three week's pay well spent." She took the coins and put them away. "Thank you. I've, been looking for this book for a few years now. No one's ever had it in stock when I came by."

"Well, I'm just glad to get it to you." She said. "I only received two, and I just had a feeling." I put the bag away as she laughed. "I'm really looking forward to tomorrow night. I just know it'll be a lot of fun." I nodded as I looked at her.

"We've never had a bad show." I said. "Never a single complaint from a single stall or attraction." She smiled.  
…

"Fire Salamander?" Horatio asked. "I had a hat made of that once. Lost it one day and I've missed it greatly… I wonder if I could commission one…" I laughed.

"I think she has some left." I said. "If you hurry, you might get it… Of course, it's a hard to get material and, not many of the ponies here might even realize she has it, or what it is." He laughed as he looked at the cloak, and Sky laughed.

"Well, it really is nice." She said. "If only we had the time, we could get new outfits for everyone."

"How much did the cloak set you back?" Horatio asked.

"Twenty bits, but, I gave her thirty, for, bringing back a few old memories." I said, laughing quietly. "Good times…" They laughed as I forced a smile. 'Not really, but, they'd just worry.'

"So, are you sure you don't want your name in the hat for tomorrow night?" He asked. "I'm sure you could do great if you were picked."

"I'd lock up." I said quietly. "I'll just watch."

"Well, it's your decision, but if you change your mind, I'll keep your name ready just in case." He said. I nodded as Sky looked at my cloak.

"Can I help you, Sky?" I asked. Horatio laughed as she smiled.

"It's awesome." She said. "I bet you'll really draw crowds now, and I bet Rarity would like it if you advertised for her. Or, if you wouldn't mind us making sure everyone knows."

"I guess, if you want." I said. "Not like I could stop you." They both laughed as Specs walked over.

"Hey, Ace, I have a question." She said. We looked at her. "I was just at the library, and I couldn't find some books I was looking for. A few advanced spell books, but there weren't any left for purchase, just borrowing. I borrowed them, but…" I felt a little nervous. "She said, you bought them."

"Ace, you read, spell books?" Sky asked. "You're a Pegasus, like me and dad. You can't use magic."

"So, I can't read about it, since I can't use it." I said.

"But why buy them?" Specs asked. I looked at her. "I mean, if you're getting them as a gift to me, you should have asked her not to tell me, but, you're a lot smarter than that." I moved my hoof.

"I like reading." I said. "Books on magic are actually great for that because, I can help any other Unicorns that join our circus, if they're, you know, young, like I was when I joined." She seemed to accept that, but Sky laughed.

"Geeze, when it come to adults, you lock up." She said. "But when you're dealing with foals, it's no big deal?" They all laughed and I blushed.

"What's so weird about that?" I asked. "Kids are easier to talk to." They kept laughing, and I sighed. "Well, now that you all know, I'm going to read a little. Now that I don't have to worry about _that_ _secret_ being exposed." Specs blushed, but I smirked. "I guess I can read a lot more often." She laughed as I walked away. "If you need me, obvious what I'll be doing."  
…

'The focus should be on controlling the Mana behind the spell…' I read. 'Manipulating it through will is sufficient for low level spells, but mid-level spells or higher require greater control of both will and mental control.' I looked at the pictures to the side. 'Will alone is enough to project the Mana to gain the desired effect if the user visualizes it. Concentration on the spell increases the power of the spell itself, but with enough training and focus, a Unicorn could theoretically use high level spells with less effort than it initially required, such as using a 'Failsafe Spell', which would normally require hours of focus and concentration on the end result of what the spell was made to prevent. With sufficient training and control, less than twenty minutes can not only prevent, but reverse a dire situation already in progress.' I made a quiet impressed sound. "Cool…" I looked at a picture of a stampede stopping cold by a wave of light while Unicorns went about their business. 'If willpower, concentration, or focus are not maintained, a spell can fail. While not always a severe problem, a spell that fails can cause 'Backlash', a state of magic where the Mana that was to be used replicates only part of the spell. A half-completed fire-starting spell, for example, can become a wild conflagration spell, which is, in essence, the half completed version, and is far more dangerous.' I whistled quietly. 'A mild Backlash can be beneficial, in the sense that certain spells can be purposely Backlashed, such as using said conflagration spell as a means to fend off wild animals by aiming it into the air around the Unicorn. A more dangerous Backlash could be from the earlier mentioned Failsafe Spell, where it can actually magnify the problem it was meant to prevent. If focus is lost, a failure can either result in nothing happening, or a situation going from 'bad' to 'worse'. While not always dangerous, it is never wise to lose focus on nearly any spell. Only a scarce few spells are not affected at all, such as the most basic of all spells, Telekinesis. There are no ways for this spell to backfire, as it simply uses Mana to lift an object by covering it, and failure to focus simply causes the coating to vanish and the object to drop.' I nodded.

"Ace, got something for you." Sky said. I closed the book and looked over at her. "Two slices of cheesecake."

"What did I do to earn it?" I asked.

"Well, you left the grounds twice on your own." She said.

"I had to get my books and my cloak." I said. "At best, you owe me one because you had me get the cloak." She laughed.

"If you're sure." She said. She set down the plates on my dresser. "What do you think about tomorrow though? I mean, you've met two of the girls already. Are you sure you don't want to try?"

"Well, less sure than I was yesterday." I said after a few seconds. I walked over as she sat on one side. "But… I'm already doing a lot of things lately that are, well, outside my comfort zone. I don't want to step much further out of where I already am."

"I guess we, have asked you to do a lot more than usual." She said. "Sorry."

"I'll get used to it." I said after a moment. I sniffed the cheesecake.

"You just need motivation." She said. I laughed.

"No, after the cheesecake is gone, I, I'll try to do this on my own." I said. "I can't spend my whole life here." She smiled a little. "Might as well start in a friendly town like Ponyville, right?"


	7. Missing the Big Night

**I missed last week, and for that I'm sorry. Not sorry enough to double post, yet, but here's this. Hopefully this'll make up for it. Let's see… Yeah, it looks good.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Thank you, and have a nice day.  
…**

I looked down at the crowd from the platform as the names were chosen. Some people thought they had the best seat in the house, because they saw things from the ground, but I found that being so high up made things better. They were picking the names out of the hat. The three ponies that were going to join in our acts were Rarity for a colorful display, followed by Applejack and a lasso trick display, and finally Rainbow Dash with some aerobatic tricks. She was the one Sky met, apparently, so it was bound to be a great act. The one thing that detracted from the night was that Twilight Sparkle hadn't shown up.

"Fillies and gentle Colts of all ages, the name draw begins, now." Horatio called. The crowd cheered. "In the display of magical lightshows, the Unicorn joining Miss Rarity is…" The crowd went silent as the hat was shaken for a few moments while the paper swirled with magic from Specs. "Our very own…" He pulled the slip out and set it down, looking at it. "Madam Rika!" The crowd cheered as the oddly dressed fortune teller and crystal ball reader walked out from the corner, and I knew she was smiling brightly.

"She deserves it." I said quietly. "Goodness knows she's mastered ambiance with her light tricks." Sky laughed from nearby. She was sitting on the ladder run beside me. A dangerous place to sit, but she could manage it.

"No kidding." She said. "I just wish you would have let us put your name in. You could have just done some tricks on the rope and, maybe swung on one."

"Well, if you had thought of that three hours ago, I would have been okay with that." I said. She laughed as I smiled. "Still, I don't like the spotlight unless I'm far enough away that it won't burn me."

"With that cloak?" She asked smugly. We both laughed until Horatio opened his wings to silence the crowd.

"Next, joining Miss Applejack's roping routine…" He called. The second hat floated up and began spinning rapidly, the papers flying out and spinning in four loops before going back in. "Is our esteemed…" He pulled the second name slip out and looked at it for a moment. "Skip Back-flip!" An Earth Pony did repeated backward somersaults toward the stage, jumping and landing with his front hooves out. The crowd cheered again as he bowed and landed on his hooves again.

"Good choice." Sky said. "If she does great lasso tricks, he'll be able to jump in and out when she's not doing it herself." I nodded.

"Yeah, he's worked hard." I said. "And he doesn't get dizzy from repeated flips." She laughed as I set my head on my forelegs. "But you'll be the one to join Rainbow Dash in the air tonight. I mean, I heard the others, and you're the only one brave enough. I think there are, three names in the hat."

"Well, if it is me, I'll show her the best moves I learned from you." She said. "And if you can somehow learn from her…"

"Then I'll see if I can make some new ones." I said. "Until then, I'll just stay on my post here, and enjoy the show from the best seat in the house." Horatio moved his wings out.

"Now, there _were_ three candidates to fly with Miss Rainbow Dash tonight…" He called. "However, it has been decided that there were only two worthy, and one doesn't really like upstaging the other." The crowd murmured quietly. "So that means only one Pegasus can take a chance tonight at flying with a local legend." Sky got onto the platform and stood proudly. "Our circus' best flyer since myself, our very own, my pride and joy…" A spotlight shined up at us as she raised her head. "Sky Cloudrunner!" The crowd erupted in cheer as she jumped and glided down, landing on the stage as the three heroes walked on as well. I smiled as I watched.

"Good luck Sky." I said, somewhat proudly. If I was good at anything besides walking the rope and flying, it was helping Sky become better at the latter.

"Ace, over here." Specs said quickly. I slowly looked to the ladder. "We have a problem."

"What do you mean?" I asked. "What kind of problem would I be helpful with?"

"One of the animals got loose!" She said quickly. "Lionheart just told me, that one of the lion cubs got out of the cage, and the mother is really worried. They think it might have gone into town!"

"So, I'm useful with this, how?" I asked.

"Ace, you know how to track animals." She said. "Remember the time Kira got loose last time?" I sighed heavily.

"There goes my hope for watching Sky's routine…" I said. "Can you tell her why I won't be able to watch?" She nodded as she started going down. "Specs, by 'can', I meant 'tell her'." She laughed as she went down. I stood up and looked down and saw the crowd enjoying themselves. "The one time I get a chance to see something like this, and this happens. My luck just doesn't like me to have fun these days." I took flight quickly and left through the opening and stayed in the air for a few moments, looking at the town before flying down to the animal tent, quickly hiding my wings. I went in and saw Lionheart and his twin brother, Tiger Stripe, looking around behind crates. "Hey, Specs said you need my help?" They looked up.

"Yeah, we can't find Kira, again." Lionheart said. "Little guy's always getting into trouble. We think he _might_ have gone toward the town, but we're checking around to make sure. Could you check the grounds? He likes you."

"More than he likes us." Tiger Stripe said. I sighed.

"And you can't just ask a few others." I said quietly. They laughed as I looked down and saw some paw prints, so I followed them, lowering my head. "What am I, some kind of animal tracker? A hunter? Some kind of, detective?" I walked along until I saw them turn toward, the town. "Yeah, it couldn't be he went to my tent again. Had to be they were right, and couldn't follow paw prints themselves…" I looked back and saw Tiger Stripe looking over, so I pointed at him. "You owe me big for this. Sky's going to yell at me."

"We'll tell her it was our fault." He called. "Sorry."

"You still owe me." I called back. I turned my head and began following the tracks. Maybe Kira was back there, but better to be safe than sorry. "Figures… Just, figures. Can't stay on the grounds, have to be lured out by books, a new cloak, and cheesecake. Can't enjoy my books, I have to fly, show off my wings, and go _out_ to buy books, a cloak, and go to a party… Admittedly the last was fun… And now I'm talking to myself again, responding as well. Dandy." I looked up a little and saw the prints going toward, Sugarcube Corner. I whistled a few times and didn't see anything, so I sighed.

"Are you okay?" A female voice asked. I jumped up, high, and nearly flapped my wings out of surprise. When I landed and turned, it was, Twilight Sparkle.

"Uh, y-yeah…" I said. "And now, I'm not tired." She seemed confused, so I pointed at the tracks. "A lion cub got loose, again. Kira… Cute little guy, but he can't just stay with his mother and father, and his family. He has to be the explorer of his family." She looked around.

"Is he, dangerous?" She asked. "Lions aren't exactly common here, or, known to be, nice to ponies."

"Who, Kira?" I asked. "No, he's pretty much a kitten right now. Wouldn't hurt anypony. No, he and his family were raised in the circus, and they know me pretty well… I, help feed them from time to time. Just to help out, you know… That kind of thing."

"Can I help at all?" She asked.

"Um, actually, I was going to ask why you're even out here." I said. "Shouldn't you be at the big top right now, cheering your friends on?"

"Oh, I'm running kind of late, scheduling issues." She said. "But this is important."

"No, hardly important." I said. "Just, time consuming. Don't worry, I've found Kira before, and Celestia knows I'll find the little guy again." I looked over my shoulder. "He runs off, sometimes to my tent. One morning I woke up, and there he was, sitting beside me, looking at me, purring quietly. Needless to say, I woke up _immediately_ and returned him to his family." She laughed. "Kira likes me for some reason. I keep whistling, I'm sure he'll come out and run up to me pretty quick. Probably might even lick my cheek and try to play while I take him back… Sad to say, I'm going to miss Sky flying with Rainbow Dash."

"Oh…" She said. "Maybe I should help, so it'll be faster." I shook my head.

"Don't worry about it." I said. "I'm sure Sky will give me such a vivid recall of the whole thing, it'll feel like I was there." She smiled a little. "Go on, I've got this. Lionheart and Tiger Stripe will be along if Kira isn't in the tent already."

"If you're sure." She said. I nodded.

"I'll be okay on my own." I said. "He's just a cub."

"Okay." She said. "But if there's any trouble, just come find me and my friends. I know Fluttershy would be able to help. She's really good with animals." She turned and walked when Spike ran over.

"Hold on Twilight, I've got short legs!" He called. She stopped as I turned.

"Spike, do you think you can help Mr. Stormrider?" She asked.

"Um, Ace will do, first of all." I said. I turned my head. "And second, I'll be fine. I don't want to keep either of you from the show."

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"A lion cub got loose." She said. "He's not dangerous, but, better to make sure he gets back safely."

"You can count on me." He said, saluting. He walked over as she looked at me, and I saw concern, so I sighed.

"Well, if you want to help." I said. He nodded and I turned. "The tracks lead toward the bakery. Hopefully he didn't get in, or it'll take a while."  
…

I walked into the room and looked around slowly while Spike walked in behind me.

"Figures." I said.

"What figures?" He asked.

"Kira, hiding _in_ the bakery." I said. "Good thing you had the key."

"Pinkie lets all of her friends have a key." He said. "The Cakes don't mind either. I bet she'll give you one if you ask. She thinks of everypony she meets as a friend."

"Well, from what I've heard, I bet everypony that meets her feels the same." I said. He laughed and I heard Kira.

"Wh-what was that?" He asked. I turned on the light and he jumped.

"Calm down, it's just Kira." I said. I turned a corner and saw the cub, licking an open container of frosting. I whistled and he looked over, and quickly jumped up, his tongue hanging out. "There you are. We've been looking for you for an hour. Do you know how hard it is to track your paw prints in the dark?" Spike yelled and jumped onto my back, making me stagger. "Spike, what's wrong? Hey… Watch the wing joints!" I moved a little and he shook. "Spike, what the heck are you doing?"

"Th-that's not a cub!" He said quickly. "That's a full grown lion!"

"And you're a dragon." I said. "You breathe fire."

"B-but, he's _huge!_" He said. "You said he was a cub!"

"He is." I said. Kira bounded over and nuzzled me, licking my cheek while I laughed. "He just has a big appetite, and he's big for his age. He's hardly one and a half." Spike shook a little before Kira purred.

"H-he's really, not dangerous?" Spike asked.

"He's like a big kitten." I said. I rubbed Kira's side and he rolled onto his back, letting me rub his belly. "He knows not to use his claws when he's feeling playful." Spike slowly dropped to the ground and I adjusted the cloak. "See? Rub his chin a little. He likes that." Spike slowly did so, and Kira purred with his eyes closed. "There, just a big kitten, like I said."

"Big is the key word." He said. "But, he sure seems tame."

"Yeah, he is." I said. "Big, but hardly any more dangerous than a little housecat." I stopped and Kira rolled over. "Come on big guy, let's get you home. I might still have time to catch Sky's flight with Rainbow Dash." Spike jumped back on as Kira licked my cheek again. I turned and walked out, and Spike looked back.

"He's following us." He said.

"I know." I said. "He's always happy to follow me. He actually likes me more than the lion tamer twins, Lionheart and Tiger Stripe. Strange, considering they're the ones that brought him into the world. I wasn't even there." He laughed as we walked outside, the light going out. As we walked, Kira purred quietly.

"So, uh, who got picked?" He asked.

"Rarity is doing a lightshow with Madam Rika." I said. "She's our fortune teller and crystal ball expert. She also handles opening night lightshows. Skip Back-flip, our acrobat, is doing a routine with Applejack… Those shows are done by now, I'm sure. And Sky's flying with Rainbow Dash. Hopefully we can catch that."

"Hey, you said you're a Pegasus." He said.

"Yeah, something I make sure everyone I meet knows, if I meet anyone." I said.

"Well, there's that hole up there, in the big top, right?" He asked.

"Yeah, I go in through that." I said. "I, get nervous around big crowds, so I can't enter through the main flap unless I do it before the crowd shows up. I was staying on a platform to watch from above."

"Do you think you could fly me up there?" He asked.

"Uh, sorry." I said. "I, don't let anyone see my wings. It's, a personal thing…"

"Oh…" He said. "What if I blindfolded myself and just hung on?"

"Uh, there, is a ladder…" I said. "But, it's dangerous being that high up, if you don't have wings. Trust me on that one."

"Aw, come on, I'll be careful." He said. "I'll just stay up here."

"As light as you are, you'd be better off sitting with Miss Sparkle." I said.

"But if your friend is flying with Rainbow Dash, the best seats would be high up." He said. "What's higher than the tightrope platform?" I was silent for a moment.

"Yeah, that's true." I said. "But it's still not safe. Heck, I'm going to look through the main flap first to make sure they're not up there yet. If they are, I'm not going up because it'd ruin the show, and everypony might see my wings."

"Wow, you're, really adamant about your wings." He said. He moved a little and I looked at him, stopping him as he had his hand on my cloak. "Uh, _really_ adamant." He moved back.

"Only my closest friends are allowed." I said. "Nothing against you, I just… Have bad memories."

"It might help to talk about it." He said. I was silent as Kira bounded ahead to his tent, where he was greeted by the twins. I looked to the big top and saw shadows.

"Looks like they're flying already." I said. "I'll watch from the ground, I guess."

"Ace, are you alright?" He asked. "You're shaking a little."

"It, happens." I said. "Old memories coming up, nerves… Just, part of being me, I guess…" He patted my shoulder.

"Hey, come on, I may be young, but I can help." He said. "Talking might do something, a little at the very least." I sighed and walked when he moved a little. I looked back, stopping as he stretched.

"Maybe I should get you home." I said. "You're young, and tired. Past your bedtime?" He nodded slightly, yawning. I turned. "I'll tell Miss Sparkle."

"She doesn't mind being called Twilight." He said. I walked toward the library. "And, you don't have to, yet. You can watch your friend."

"Well, there should be other chances." I said. "After all, Sky likes competition. She might invite Rainbow Dash… And by invite, I mean challenge." He laughed. "I'll see a better show in private if I know Sky at all, and I do." He leaned forward a little as I walked.

"So, what's the story with your wings?" He asked. I sighed softly. "Did something happen to 'em?"

"N-no." I said. "Well, kind of. It's a little complicated, but, let's say, yes, and, before I was born." I shook my head. "Don't tell anyone, alright?"

"I can keep a secret." He said. "I keep a few for Twilight."

"Well, okay." I said. "When I was a little colt, before I joined the circus, my father made me fly, a lot. Every day, for three hours, I'd fly around and do tricks that he told me to do. I'd do my best, give it my all, and it just wasn't enough for him. It was always, tighten the turn another third of a degree, roll a fifth faster, do one more back flip before landing, and stop playing it so safe." He laughed at my impression. "My mom wanted me to focus on studying magic books. Figured I could get into Celestia's academy, in the alchemy classes."

"Twilight likes alchemy, but she's not that good at it yet." He said. "Could a Pegasus really do better?"

"With training, an Earth Pony, Pegasus, or Unicorn, could produce similar potions." I said. "It's all about the ingredients and how you prepare them, not that you can use magic." He yawned. "Anyway, my father, he'd take me out and show me off to all of his friends and their families, have me play with their kids and show them why I was better for being his son. When I did, the first time… They laughed at my wings, called me names… Made me feel like a freak. From then on, he became determined to make me show off even more."

"Sounds like a jerk." He said.

"Yeah, that's what I used to think." I said. "Mom kept saying he just wanted me to be the best I could be, that he was proud of me and wanted me to feel the same… Now, I think she was… Almost right. I like to think that he was proud of me, but he also saw me as more of an accomplishment than a son. Like, I was some trophy he'd yet to win, world's best father, best trainer, something like that."

"So, a jerk." He said. I laughed as I got to the door.

"Yeah, I guess." I said. "But, no one can take being called a freak for too long. Eventually, you either learn how to ignore it, or, you develop a complex, and you're scared of showing your wings."

"Sorry, for bringing it up then." He said.

"Well, I'm, working on it." I said. "Sky, Horatio, and Specs have seen my wings… I guess, eventually, I might get over it, but, it'll take a while." He leaned forward and unlocked the door and I walked in. "So, second floor?"

"Yeah." He said, yawning. "Thanks. I guess it saves Twilight the trouble… But, sorry for making you miss your friend's act."

"Well, I see her fly all the time, and sometimes I fly with her." I said. "Remember how she keeps praising my skill?"

"I don't think she'd let anyone forget." He said. I laughed.

"Exactly." I said. "She's seen me fly, so, maybe she's right… Maybe my dad's training paid off. It isn't something you ever really forget." I walked up the stairs. "Once you learn how to pull a tight turn at nearly sonic speed, you can do it until you're too old to pull it off. And once you pull off five back flips, a right hard angled barrel roll, followed by landing like a barn owl, you never really forget how to do it." He laughed.

"Barn owl." He said tiredly. I knelt by his bed and he rolled off, landing softly. I moved his blanket over him as he yawned. "Thanks Twilight." I laughed. "Good night."

"Good night Spike." I said. "Thanks for listening." I walked out, turning off the lights. 'Well, hopefully Sky won't yell at me for too long tomorrow.'


	8. A Tasting and a Job Offer

**When last we left, Ace had told some of his past to a certain baby dragon after returning a lion cub to the circus. Said lion had slipped into Sugarcube Corner somehow, and ate several tubs of frosting and possibly some baked goods. A lot can happen in an hour, especially if you're a lion cub that's almost as big as a full grown lion. And Ace also had to miss Sky's act, flying with Rainbow Dash. Hopefully he doesn't get an earful for that… Anyway, on with the show!**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. But if they'd like to use Ace or the circus somehow, I'm happy lend them, and I'm sure Horatio would be more than happy to be had.  
…**

"Ace, you should have seen it!" Sky said proudly. "I had her at that last turn, and then, that flash move again! I still can't figure it out! It's _too cool_! You _have_ to learn it!"

"You challenge her and let me watch, and ask her to show me that trick." I said. "Maybe I'll be able to mimic it later, after I figure it out." She giggled. "Sorry again about missing your act though. Sounds like it was awesome." She smiled. "But, when you have to track a lion cub, you have to track Kira." She laughed. "And when a baby dragon that helped you is sleepy, you gotta take him home and put him to bed."

"It was really nice of you." She said. "Did Twilight thank you?" I nodded.

"Yeah, and she offered a discount on a book, but I declined." I said. "I'm fine as is. A good deed is, in and of itself, reward enough."

"So, where was Kira this time?" She asked. "Lionheart wouldn't tell me."

"Because they didn't know." I said. "Kira snuck into Sugarcube Corner somehow, but Spike had a key. I found him licking frosting out of a tub… Speaking of, someone should let them know what happened…" She looked at me oddly and I stepped back. "Come on, haven't I left the grounds enough for one week?"

"You found him eating the frosting." She said. "So, you're the right choice."

"Tiger Stripe was the one that accidentally let him out." I said. "Lionheart sent me after him. They're the better choice."

"Cheesecake?" She asked, smiling. I went to speak, but just pointed at her.

"Sometimes I don't know why I'm your friend." I said. "I'll do it, but I'm not going to be happy about this." She laughed as I turned and started walking. "Part of me wants this to be the last slice."

"Two more to go." She said. "This one, and whatever I use the last one for."

"You might want to save it up for something bigger than this." I said. "Because if you don't, then you'll have to find a better way." She laughed as I walked toward town. I sighed and looked toward Sugarcube Corner. 'How Kira got in there in the first place is beyond me… And where was Spike keeping that key? No pockets, no bag, no, backpack…' I put that thought aside and went to open the door when I was pushed to the side. I landed a little ways away as something shattered on the ground, and I looked over to see a pink Earth Pony with very curly dark pink hair, and a shattered flower pot. "Th-thanks."

"Are you okay?" She asked quickly. "I hope I didn't push you too hard, or, onto something ouchy." I got up carefully, adjusting my cloak.

"I'm okay." I said. I looked at the shattered flower pot, dirt all over, but no flower in it. "That was, probably close."

"Yeah, it was _really_ close, but I got a twitchy tail, and I saw the flower pot." She said. "I just _knew_ if I didn't run over and push you away, it would have hit you, and that would have _hurt_!"

"Um, twitchy tail?" I asked.

"Oh, when my tail twitches, it means something's about to fall." She said. She held her hoof out and I slowly offered mine, and she shook it rapidly. "I'm Pinkie Pie. Nice to meetcha."

"Ace, Stormrider." I said, my voice shaking a little.

"Ooh, the pony Sky was talking about?" She asked as she let go of me. I set my hoof down and lowered my head.

"Yeah, I guess." I said. "Don't know why she wants everypony to know my name."

"Because she's your friend." She said. "She told me how much you didn't like going out, and I thought, hey, I'll do something he _has_ to come to, but she said you don't like parties… But, everypony likes parties, right?" I looked at her.

"I like parties, but, I'm not fond of crowds…" I said.

"Oh, your wings, right?" She asked. "She said you were nervous about 'em, and you don't like anypony to see them, ever. Like, _ever_, ever… Is that true?"

"Kind of." I said quietly. "Um, I, uh, I'm here because of, a slight incident last night, involving a lion cub, and a thing of frosting."

"Oh, I knew it." She said. She looked at the door. "I told them, it looked like lion paw prints outside, but they didn't believe me. They kept saying 'it's probably Spike sleepwalking', but I was all 'no, it's a lion'…" She went on for a few minutes and I cleared my throat, so she looked at me.

"I'm here to pay for the frosting, I guess, or, at least apologize." I said. She smiled and pushed the door open, but held out a key.

"Here, in case it happens again." She said happily. I slowly took the key and looked at it. "Come on, I'll let Mr. and Mrs. Cake know." She hopped inside, humming, and I slowly followed after putting the key in my pack. I looked around and saw, a lot of baked goods.

'Wow.' I thought. 'That's a lot of frosting, a lot of cake… And a _ton_ of flour… And that's just, one shelf…' I looked around for a moment when I heard hopping again. Strangely, she didn't sound like her hooves were hitting the ground. More like, cartoon spring sound effects. She hopped over as I looked and a pair of Earth Ponies walked out. Clearly, Mr. and Mrs. Cake.

"Pinkie says you know what happened last night?" Mr. Cake asked.

"Yes, and, I'd like to apologize for what happened." I said. "A lion cub got out of his cage last night, and somehow made his way into your kitchen… I led him out, but, it looked like he'd already opened a thing of frosting and ate… Most of it, I'd guess."

"So, Pinkie was right after all." Mrs. Cake said. "I'm, surprised. How, did it get loose?" I laughed quietly.

"Honestly, I don't know." I said. "The lion tamer twins, Tiger Stripe and Lionheart, were feeding them, and then I'm being alerted from my spot up near a tightrope, that I'm to track down the missing cub, because I have that kind of luck." They looked at one another and then at me, so I cleared my throat. "The lion cub, Kira, escapes all the time, but he's just a cub, and he acts like a kitten, especially around me. When he saw me, he followed me back to the circus, and I, dropped Spike off at his home."

"So Spike was here too…" Mr. Cake said. "Did he eat anything?"

"No, he was kind of scared of Kira…" I said, slowly. "Uh, Kira, is actually very big for his age, about the size of a full grown lion."

"That explains the claw marks in the floor." Pinkie said.

"Well, in the polish." Mr. Cake said. "We can fix that on our own. Don't worry about money either, we'll be fine."

"No one was hurt, nothing was damaged, and we only lost one small tub of frosting." Mrs. Cake said. "We can make more."

"I'm just glad it wasn't worse." I said. "It took me an hour to find Kira. Looks like he wandered around until he somehow got inside your kitchen… If I'd have been another hour, he likely would have eaten half of the pantry." They laughed.

"Well, he is just a cub, despite his size…" Mr. Cake said. I nodded.

"Yeah…" I said. "So, uh, I guess, if there's nothing I can do…"

"Well, there is one thing." Mr. Cake said.

"Pinkie's been going on about the circus a lot, and she wants to try some of the food." Mrs. Cake said. "Is there any way we could convince you to let her try a little of each snack? She wants to try her hoof at baking circus food."

"Well…" I started. "I'm sure Horatio wouldn't mind. He'd consider it a favor for Kira's little midnight snack." They laughed.  
…

"Wow, this is amazing!" Pinkie said happily. Horatio had assigned me to keep an eye on her to make sure she didn't eat us out of any potential profits. "Churros, neat…" She was given one and she immediately ate the whole thing. As she chewed, I was given one as well.

"Thank you." I said. I took a bite and watched as Pinkie licked her lips for a second.

"That's the best churro I've had in a while…" She said. "Taste like, you put some more cinnamon in the batter?"

"Just a bit." The stall vendor said.

"And, a tiny bit, of orange juice?" She asked.

"And some of the zest." The stall vendor said proudly. "You're pretty good at this."

"She's done this at each stall thus far." I said. "Figured out just about all of our techniques from one quick devour." Pinkie giggled. "And she's still hungry. I've had one churro, or I'm working on it, and a fritter. I have to save a little room."

"What for?" Pinkie asked.

"A slice of cheesecake." I said. "That's the deal between Sky and me. She gives me a slice of a very good cheesecake, I go off of the grounds to, do something I normally wouldn't leave the grounds for."

"Sounds like a good deal to me." She said. I finished the churro as she walked to another stall. "Ooh, caramel apples." The stall vendor offered one and she took it, quickly eating the whole thing off of the stick.

"The last time I tried that, I…" I started. Her eyes watered and she jumped a bit as the vendor laughed quietly. "Burned my tongue." She reached out and was given a glass of ice water, which she drank quickly. She finished the apple and swallowed it, breathing out a small bit of steam.

"Wow, that was, delicious!" She said happily. "Best caramel apple that wasn't made by Applejack or her family!" She licked her lips for a few seconds. "Tastes like… A little bit of butter, and, nutmeg in the caramel. And the apples… Taste familiar, but I can't, put my hoof on it."

"We got them from Appleloosa." I said. "I helped get some of them."

"They sure are good." She said.

"Miss Pie, you should try this." Horatio said. We looked over as he walked up with a S'more. I smirked as he held it out. "I make the marshmallows myself." She took it and ate it, her eyes going wide. She hopped up and down, clapping her front hooves together.

"I take it that means she loves it." I said. He laughed warmly. "He also makes the graham crackers himself, and the chocolate looked like it was from his personal stash. Lucky." She set down on the ground as she licked her lips.

"That was _absolutely fantastic_!" She said happily. "Honey and cinnamon graham crackers, peppermint and coconut marshmallow, and moderate, semi-sweet, really smooth, dark chocolate!"

"Well, I'd been hearing you could tell just by tasting, but I'm impressed." He said.

"There's never been a S'more made by anyone that matches Horatio Cloudrunner's." I said. She giggled.

"It was amazing Mr. Cloudrunner." She said. "Oh, and you can just call me Pinkie."

"So long as you just call me Horatio." He said. They laughed as I smiled. "But if you want a real treat, you should try a cup of Ace's hot cocoa. When he has what he needs, you'll be more than pleasantly surprised."

"I love hot cocoa!" She said. "Ace?"

"I can have a cup ready in a while." I said. "I don't think it's too special, but, it's pretty good. M-my mother's recipe though. She made it _a lot_ better than I can ever try to."

"I'll show Pinkie the rest of the stalls while you make the cocoa." He said. "Sky will have your slice of cheesecake ready." I nodded and turned, walking toward my tent.

'Some day this is turning out to be.' I thought. 'It all starts with an apology, and turns into a tasting while I just want a slice of cake. Not too much to ask, I think… Just takes forever to get what I'm after.'  
…

I held my hooves out as I walked along the wire, looking down to see the crowd for a moment. They were watching with baited breath, and I sighed as I carefully turned around. I heard them talking amongst themselves, but this was a new one for me. I inhaled softly before letting it out.

'Here we go…' I thought. 'Backward along the wire.' I slowly took a step back, and set my hoof down, my legs still held out. I heard a few voices, but I ignored it all. I needed total focus. 'Come on, just twenty feet.' I walked backward carefully, counting each step. 'Come on, just, a little, more…' I felt the solid wood and finished walking across, and when I turned and landed on the platform, the crowd erupted in cheer. I couldn't help but smile. It was just what I needed to hear to keep going some days.

"Great work Shades, you've certainly earned each and every cheer!" Horatio called. It was the last set for the night, so the crowd was going to leave soon. "Give him another round of applause! One of the few ponies brave enough to do this without a safety net!" I laughed quietly and settled onto the platform, knowing it was just a little too much to ask that no one would look up if I tried to fly out. As I waited, Horatio thanked the crowd, and I heard Sky land.

"That was a new one." She said. "You've never tried to walk backward before, at all."

"You keep saying I need to try new things." I said. "I guess, you're getting through." She settled near me and I set my mask on the platform.

"Well, that's true." She said. "I'm proud of you. That was pretty good… Thinkin' about sideways now?" I laughed and looked at her.

"Maybe." I said. "It'd be a darn sight harder than backward." We both laughed as I looked back down.

"So, how did Pinkie like the hot cocoa?" She asked. I shrugged.

"She just about exploded with joy." I said. "I don't do anything special to it… I just do what I saw my mother do."

"You don't talk about your parents much…" She said.

"No, I don't." I said quietly. She was silent, and I hoped she'd take the hint.

"Nothing?" She asked after a few minutes.

"Not yet." I said.

"I don't mean, like if they sent a letter…" She said. "You can't get over something if you don't talk about it."

"Spike said the same thing." I said.

"You told someone you just met a few days ago, but you won't tell me or dad, or Specs?" She asked.

"The difference is, he was asking because he thought it'd help me." I said. "I know you well enough that I know this is curiosity asking." She was silent for a moment. "You mean well, but, this isn't something I like _thinking_ about. It, it hurts, you know?" More silence. "It's like, I'm still running away, and I can't look back for too long, or it hurts even more."

"When you feel like talking about it, I'm always here." She said. "You know I think of you as a brother…" I smiled a little. "Dad thinks of you like you're his son. So… You've got a father, and a sister, who are both worried about you. In ten years, three ponies have seen your wings, and it took those ten years for the third, while the other two saw them on the first night, and that wasn't our intent."

"It's not something words alone can undo…" I said. "I, have to do something, to feel comfortable with them." She was silent as the last of the crowd left. "But, you've been a great friend… A great sister, to me." She smiled as I looked at her. "But, there are times, when you encourage me, that it reminds me of why I ran away. I don't like being pushed, even for my own good. Even if I'm the one that's pushing, it doesn't make it any less difficult." I looked back at the entrance and set my head on my hooves.

"When you're ready, we're here for you." She said. "Dad thinks of this circus like a family. A problem that affects one of us, affects us all."

"I know." I said. "And, I'm working on it as best I can. I just need to, get to where, I can actually use the help you're willing to give me." She got up and walked to the edge.

"I, am giving you the last slice early." She said. "Because tomorrow, we've got something we have to do." I looked at her. "In the morning, I'll tell you what it is." She jumped off and glided down to Horatio and I got up, putting my mask back on. I was curious, and a little worried. After a few minutes I moved my wings out and jumped forward, flying through the hole and looking around. There were a few ponies on the grounds, so I flew around and landed behind my tent. But as I went to walk in, I heard a voice.

"Wow, there's some neat stuff here." A female said. "Apart from the books. Definitely needs to fly more." I walked around and looked in cautiously. A blue Pegasus was looking at a collection of my things, mostly toys from when I was younger that I kept for sentimental reasons. She had, a rainbow mane, and a rainbow lightning bolt Cutie Mark. "What the heck is this stuff? Kid's toys?"

"From when I was six." I said. She looked over and blinked.

"Who are you?" She asked. "This is Ace Stormrider's tent, right?"

"Yeah." I said. "I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that your name, is Rainbow Dash."

"I see my fame precedes me." She said proudly, holding her head up.

"Actually, I guessed it based on your mane and Cutie Mark." I said. She lowered her head.

"So, who are you?" She asked. I felt something different than usual, so I smirked behind the mask.

"Shades O'Gray." I said. I walked in. "I don't think Ace would want anyone snooping around his tent. Pretty sure of it, in fact."

"I'm here to meet him." She said. "I figured the best place to do that would be to wait outside… And the wind kind of blew the flap open and I saw something. Turned out… It was a tea pot."

"Kettle." I said.

"Whatever." She said. I shrugged. "But, where is he? Isn't his act over yet?"

"Yeah, for about, six, seven minutes." I said.

"Well, where is he?" She asked. I removed the mask and she blinked. "You?" I nodded. "You said your name was Shades."

"Nickname." I said. "Turning it into my new performing name." I set the mask on a table and walked in.

"So, uh, Sky said you're an awesome flyer, and you were too scared to fly with me." She said.

"I, have issues." I said.

"Yeah, so she told me." She said. "Too bad, because if you're twice as good as she is, I bet you could keep up with me, no problem. I could use the help while you're in town."

"Help, with what?" I asked.

"Have you seen the low hanging clouds around here?" She asked. "I can handle it, but it's a lot of work for just one Pegasus. If you and Sky helped out, we could handle the weather a lot faster."

"Well, that's good, in theory…" I said. "I guess that's where Sky's been today?"

"Yeah." She said. "And she said you'd be even better at it." I sighed.

"That's it, I'm telling her to stop making promises I can't keep." I said. She laughed, but stopped. "She's always doing stuff like that. I appreciate that she wants me to, get over my problem, but, I can't do it at her pace. I'll lose my mind…"

"Well, there went that idea." She said quietly. "I was hoping to ask if you'd help me out tomorrow to clear a path for some rain we've got coming in, but, if you're really that against it…"

"If, it were just me and Sky, then, I think we could handle a large area by ourselves." I said slowly. "Just me, Sky… And maybe Horatio. He hasn't felt clouds under his hooves for a while… Though he does plan to visit his sister sometime in the near future." She laughed.

"Come on, just consider it." She said. "I promise, I won't come around without Sky telling me you've got your wings put away."


	9. Clearing Clouds

**I need to be a little more strict with myself, and be more reliable for posting. I'm starting to annoy myself with all of this. Having said that, I'm far ahead of just chapter nine, so if you want an OC put in, I can either find a place for them, or I can add them in later chapters somehow. Bear in mind, it might be a while before you get to see them.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Thank you, and have a nice day.  
…**

Sky lowered her head as she found some interesting dirt to shift with her hoof.

"Sky, I've told you before, you have to let Ace do this at a comfortable speed for _him_." Horatio said. "He's got enough on his shoulders as it is without you piling more on."

"I just want to help him." She said. "He's, like a brother to me. I'm worried about him."

"I appreciate how much you care, Sky, I really do." I said. "But you can't push somepony somewhere they want to go and expect them not to push back… I, I'll try, but you'd better keep a lookout for anypony, ground or not. I'll, handle, the higher clouds…"

"You're sure about this, Ace?" Horatio asked.

"I am." I said tiredly. "Rainbow Dash, asked me to think about it, and, I figured this would be a good way to thank the town for coming to our show. They help us, so, we have an opportunity to help. What would it say if we didn't, at least try?"

"Sky, you owe him for this." Horatio said. "This isn't some childish trade right now. Find something a little nicer that you can do for him, that doesn't give him any trouble or undue worry."

"Okay." She said.

"Upshot, there is one thing we can do." I said. They looked at me. "I've sometimes wondered, if the famous Horatio Cloudrunner, really is as good as the stories." He smirked. "Sky says she's better than you, and that I'm better than her." They both smirked. "Specs can keep an eye on who moves the most clouds?" They nodded.

"You're on." He said. "Five bits, each, winner take all." I saw a look in Sky's eye, so I decided to be bold, for her sake.

"Ten." I said, leaning forward. They laughed.

"You, sir, have a deal." Horatio said, also leaning forward. We laughed after a few seconds and Sky picked up the plate with the cheesecake.

"Well, this is still yours." She said. "I made a deal, and I'll follow through with it… Too bad, I don't have more. I, ate mine already." Horatio laughed, but I put my hoof in the way.

"I, think that slice, is Horatio's." I said. "Figure, I've had enough for a while."

"But, you love cheesecake." She said.

"Actually, I just like it." I said. "I only said I love it, because you cooked that one a few years ago." She blinked.

"You, let me believe that, for five years." She said.

"It's a great cheesecake, but, I've had seven slices." I said. "I don't want to get tired of it." Horatio laughed as she set it down. "Besides, I've had a fritter, a churro, and some hot cocoa. I think I've had enough snacks for one day." She laughed after a moment.

"Sneak." She said. "How are you so good at keeping secrets?" I shifted my wings and they both laughed a little more as I turned.

"I'm going to get some rest." I said. "If I'm going to be flying a lot tomorrow, I shouldn't be tired when I wake up."

"Good night." She said.

"I'll just eh, have a little snack before I call it." Horatio said. "You two get some sleep."  
…

"Ready?" Specs asked. I opened my wings and leaned down slightly. Sky opened hers and readied herself, leaning down further, in perfect sync with her father. "Go!" They jumped first, but I jumped higher, flapping hard. As I gained altitude, I heard Horatio laugh.

"You may be faster, but how's your wingpower?" He called. We split up, with me going straight while Horatio and Sky flew opposite directions, trading where they started. When I got high enough, I put my hooves to a cloud in the path and began pushing it quickly.

As it got going, I turned and caught another, pushing it the other way, collecting a few more. We had an hour to clear as much as possible before the other Pegasi came around to push toward another way. They wanted more clouds concentrated in specific areas, and were flying in such clouds, but they were also trying to combine larger cloud formations so they could fill them and get a wider area as soon as possible, instead of just making a huge amount of clouds while recalling the rest to switch out.

I kept repeating the process of flying from one side to another, pushing clouds and letting them combine, for a while. The main thought was just to do what I was doing, but I was also keeping count of how many clouds I pushed together. At the same time, I noticed it was getting a little warmer. I was glad I wasn't wearing my cloak, but I was also nervous. The problem was that I genuinely wanted the thirty bits so I could maybe buy Horatio that hat he mentioned, so I couldn't have something giving me any resistance, and Specs had the cloak. If I had to hide, Sky would have to get the cloak for me, or I'd have to do a full speed grab and hope I didn't crash into anything.

'Okay, pass, number eighty five.' I thought. 'Wonder what, Sky is on… Or Horatio…' I laughed as I caught a large number in one swoop, and I tried to think of how long it had been.

"Ace, head's up!" Sky called. I looked up in time and pushed my cloud up to avoid her. "Sorry!" She flew around and toward her spot. "Got carried away!"

"No kidding!" I called, laughing. I flew back into my spot and caught a few clouds along the way. As I put it with the rest, I jumped off and broke a section of one away and went about another path, to make a wider area for the Weather Patrol to add their storm clouds to it. It would hopefully spread more water to the surrounding clouds for a calm rain shower, and not a full storm. 'Thirty bits… Yeah, that's good for a while.' I did a slight spin as I flew, getting comfortable. 'Yeah, it's been too long since I've done anything like this…' I smiled and spin again getting a wide cloud and using it to get a large area. I kept my focus on my task until I heard a whistle. 'It's, been an hour already?' I flew down as Sky and Horatio landed, and when I did, they were panting while I stretched my wings.

"Great job guys." Specs said. "You really did a lot. Just look." We all looked up, and I heard Sky sit down.

"Holy…" She said. "_Ace!_"

"I think it's obvious who won the bet." Specs said. I looked at the other areas and, I was not only surprised, I was, amazed.

"Impressive." Horatio said. I stared for a moment, trying to figure out how I had done so much more than they did.

"Geeze Ace, you really weren't fooling around." Sky said. "How in Equestria did you do so much in an hour?"

"Uh, f-fooling, around." I said. She stared at me as I found a spot on the ground to fiddle with. "Honestly, I was just, lost in my thoughts… I didn't even pay any serious attention…" Horatio and Specs laughed while Sky put her hoof to her forehead.

"You were just messin' around, and you managed to do more than me and my dad together." She said. "Unreal."

"Actually, that's a fair estimate." Specs said. "By my count, you put two hundred and six clouds together. Boss, you put one hundred and eighty four."

"Must be getting slow in my old age." He said. He laughed. "But not bad."

"By today's standards, a Weather Patrol Pegasus needs a minimum of one fifty." She said. "You'd be a sure hire for how good you did. But Ace… I actually lost count around five hundred and, ninety I think." I blushed deeply.

"By Celestia, if you'd have been serious, you could have done all of ours!" Sky said. "If you wanted to, you could join the Weather Patrol and put a whole squad to shame." I slowly took my cloak and pulled it on, but I couldn't help but nod.

"Yeah, I, I guess…" I said.

"Hey, you did a lot more than the two of us together." Horatio said. "Just for that, I'm chipping in an extra ten." I blushed.

"Me too." Sky said.

"I'll put in ten just because of how awesome you were." Specs said. "I mean, you just cleared a _huge_ area in an hour. But eh, for now, we should get lunch, and finish this after. I hear Weather Patrol is holding a picnic in about five minutes for everypony that helped out today while they do their part."

"I'm there." Sky said.

"Sounds like fun." Horatio said.

"I wonder what they have…" I said quietly. We started walking while I looked back up.

"Ace?" Sky asked.

"Looks like, a dragon playing a banjo." I said. They looked up.

"No way." Sky said. "It looks like a lion climbing a tree."

"Looks like Andre lifting the big top." Horatio said.

"I see a group of Pegasi about to walk into a bush." Specs said. We looked ahead. Immediately Sky and Horatio ran into it while I jumped over it, managing to flap my wings and fly back onto the road while Specs laughed, and I looked to see her fall over in the process. Sky tried to get out while Horatio laughed.

"Oh, this is brilliant!" He said as he moved. "Sky, where are you?"

"Gah, over here…" She said. "Ouch, I've got a branch in my Cutie Mark!" I lowered my head as I laughed, and Horatio managed to get a leg out.

"Over here!" He called. "Go toward the light!"

"Dad, you've got your back hoof in my face!" She said. "Ow, watch it!" Specs rolled over, laughing and holding her sides.

"No, no more, please!" She laughed. "I can't, I can't… I can't take anymore!" I laughed as I looked over, and Sky's head moved above the bush.

"Dad, where'd you go?" She asked. She looked over as he got his head out and pulled himself free. "Ace, how'd you get out?"

"I never fell in." I said, smiling. "I jumped and flew to safety."  
…

I sighed quietly as I looked up at the sky, thinking about the work we'd done. They gave us forty bits each for our help, and with the extra thirty from the bet making fifty overall, I was ahead at ninety bits for one day's work. I'd already planned ahead and was going to go to the Carousel Boutique and order the hat. It was, kind of strange. I felt more comfortable in Ponyville than anywhere else. Probably because of how I'd actually met four of the ponies that had saved Equestria and Princess Luna, and they were actually really nice to me.

"Well, better get, on my way." I said under my breath. I started walking and heard the crowd cheering. I wasn't sticking to the shadows like I usually did. Now, I was just, walking. 'Sky, I blame you for this… Thanks.' I calmly left the grounds and toward the boutique, looking up at the gathering rain clouds, when somepony ran into me, knocking me over. I groaned as I moved my hoof, keeping my cloak down.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" A mare said.

"No, no, it was my fault." I said. I got up and helped her. She had a light orange body and a blond mane, with a hat. "I wasn't paying attention to where I was going."

"No, no, it's on me." She said. She raised her head and looked at me, staring for a moment. "I, I was lookin' for, a uh, Pegasus, named Stormrider? Ace, I mean." She had a pretty thick accent, but, it suited her.

"Uh, that's me." I said quietly. "Is something wrong?"

"Huh, oh, no, no, nothin's wrong." She said. "I just got a letter from a cousin, heard ya bucked some trees and got all the apples in one kick each. I was in a hurry, and… I'm real sorry about, well, knockin' ya over, but I kinda needed to ask somethin' important of ya, and I know it's probably a bit forward… Uh, shoot, I thought this'd be easier…" She lowered her voice near the end. "Uh, I was, wonderin', if ya'll could, help us with the applebuckin' this season?"

"Uh, well…" I said.

"Just a few days." She said, as if ashamed to be asking. "It's a lot o' work, and, my brother's been sayin', we could use a few extra hooves this year. Now, _I_ don't think we need the help, but, better to make sure my brother doesn't give me any more grief over this. If, if ya wouldn't mind, at least thinkin' about it… We're startin' in a couple o' months, before ya'll are leavin'." She moved her hoof. "After what my cousin said in his letter, I figured, get somepony that can do about as good as I can, ya know?"

"Yeah, I, I understand that." I said. "I was, out for a few weeks, had to have someone fill in. New colt, was showing off, didn't do too bad. Found out he was better suited for, juggling of all things." She laughed. "Uh, yeah, I, I think I should be able to help. I know Horatio won't mind, and, Celestia knows my friend Sky is always on me to get out and, meet new ponies."

"Thanks." She said. "If ya can get your friends to help, that uh, that'd definitely get my brother off my back." I nodded. "Oh, I'm Applejack, by the way." She held her hoof up and I slowly raised mine as well.

"It's nice to meet you." I said.

"Likewise." She said. "I gotta get goin' though. I've got a lot of work, and the next couple o' days are nothin' but more work, so I had to make a little time now. I'll see ya around." She turned and ran down the road, obviously in a hurry.

'Hopefully, she doesn't run into anypony else…' I thought. I felt my side where she'd collided. She was probably looking toward the circus at the time and didn't notice me, but it was still my fault for having my head in the clouds, so to speak. I slowed down. 'Wait, Apple… Okay, that, makes five out of six. The only one left is, Fluttershy… I doubt I'll run into her anytime soon… Hopefully the reverse doesn't happen literally, though, meeting all of the girls that saved the princess would be pretty cool.' I walked up to the door and knocked twice.

"Come in, I'm almost finished with your order." Rarity called cheerfully. I slowly opened the door and she wasn't looking.

"I, didn't know you could see the future…" I said. She looked over from a dress.

"Oh, I'm sorry." She said. "I thought you were somepony else. As I said, I'm nearly finished with an order, and I thought that you were the client. It's good to see you though. I've heard from the others how you've nearly become friends already."

"The, others?" I asked. "The…"

"Yes, the other 'Elements', as it were." She said. I walked in. "Pinkie talked about the lion cub and the tasting of the circus fare, Twilight and how you tucked Spike in that night, Rainbow Dash and how you helped clear such a large area of clouds, practically on your own." I blushed slightly. "I'm glad we've had a chance to meet such good folk. I'm sure we'll all greatly appreciate the circus every year when it comes around."

"Most, towns do." I said. She pulled the string one last time and snipped it as it was tied off.

"So, is this a social visit, perhaps?" She asked.

"N-no." I said. "I, actually wanted to know if you could make a hat, for Horatio."

"The circus master?" She asked. I nodded.

"Yes, he had one a long time ago, made of Fire Salamander leather." I said. "I, I really like this cloak… I love it, in fact, so, I thought, I'd go right to the best." She smiled.

"Oh, I'm hardly the best dear." She said. "There are far better at the craft than I."

"I, don't think there are." I said. "None that I've met, and, I doubt I ever will meet them in my lifetime. They'll probably be, your descendants." She laughed.

"Oh, you're much too kind." She said. "If you want, I'm sure I can make one that will suit him well. From what I've seen of him, I think I can manage something very nice, and have it done, three days from now. Luckily I've got enough left to make a very nice one. But, may I ask what happened to the old one?"

"He, lost it." I said. "I'm not sure when or how, but he talks about how he had a hat made of the leather, and I thought, it's an, interesting choice of material, but it would be very nice. And if it ever rained, it wouldn't be ruined." She nodded.

"I will make sure it won't be lost by falling off." She said. "Snug, but not so tight it would cause any discomfort… I believe his head size was…" She spoke quietly to herself. "Yes, adjusting for a few things, I can have it ready in perhaps two days if no other priority orders come in. It will come to fifteen bits." She went to look over the dress so I put the money down on the counter before she looked over. "So you truly like the cloak?" She looked over and I nodded.

"Yes, it's, perfect." I said. "It fits perfectly, my wings are comfortable, and I don't have to stretch my wings that often. Usually, they're pressed so hard against my sides I'm sure my coat has a permanent outline of them, so they're pretty uncomfortable, but… Now I just let them rest, naturally. And…" I looked at it. "I think it looks better on me than my old cloak ever did. If I fell from the wire…"

"Yes?" She asked.

"Um, w-well…" I started. "A-anyway, it's perfect."

"Are you okay?" She asked. "You seemed to, sort of wander off in thought for a moment when you thought of falling."

"Oh, it's, well, nothing to worry about." I said. "I just remembered the last time and how close I was… I, uh, I can get my wings out a lot faster, I found out earlier. I nearly fell into a bush, so I jumped up and, flapped a few times to avoid it. It used to take about two or three seconds to get my wings out from under the old cloak, and, less than a second with this one, like it wasn't even there." She smiled.

"Good." She said. "I had that in mind, actually. When your friend told me how you fell and _barely_ managed to avoid hitting the ring's edge, I thought that since you'll wear it in your act, it absolutely _could not_ interfere with your wings. Light as a feather, so to speak, so that your wings need no effort to push it aside if you were in danger." I smiled.

"Thank you." I said. "But, I don't think Horatio's head needs that. It's light enough on its own most days." She giggled into her hoof as I laughed. "Don't tell him I said that."

"Your secret is safe with me." She said. "Are you sure you don't want to stay and talk? You said you were trying to learn to sew…"

"Oh, I, actually have a few books I'm looking at." I said. "The basics should be more than enough for what I might need it for… Besides, anything requiring precision… Well." I touched my forehead with my hoof. "I don't really have a way to, get so precise."

"Well, if you change your mind, I've seen some work by Earth Ponies that was, precise." She said. "I'll see you in a couple of days, sooner if fortune permits."


	10. Another Party and Another Friend

**Okay, running late, as is my luck sometimes… But here we are, chapter ten, and once more, it's a talkie, mostly setting things up. But I like it.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. If I did, well, it'd have a circus with Ace as a recurring character. That'd be about all the changes I'd have.  
…**

"So, helping out with apple bucking again." Sky said. "This time voluntarily." I nodded.

"And you said you'd try to get us to help?" Specs asked.

"Your magic, Andre's strong back, my bucking, and Sky's speed." I said. "We did a good job last time. That's how she heard of us."

"I'm up for it." Sky said. "Anything to get my friend off the grounds."

"They'll pay for our help?" Specs asked.

"I'm not sure, but we should probably ask later." I said. "Give them a good deal. I mean, we do alright by ticket sales and our vendors. No need to overcharge just because they asked us now."

"Yeah, and Horatio wouldn't forgive us if we did." Specs said. I yawned quietly. "Tired?"

"I've been working a little hard, on some flying moves." I said. Sky laughed. "It's been so long since I've done it, I guess I got carried away last night." I stretched as Specs adjusted her glasses, and I felt mine move slightly. "Specs."

"They're a little crooked." She said. I moved my hoof to them to fix them.

"Sometimes I forget they're even there, but that's where I keep them." I said. "That's where I have my eyes focused most of the time." They both laughed as I smiled. "So, I've got some reading to do. My books are calling to me." Sky nudged my shoulder.

"Go on." She said. "I'm going into town to help get some things for the stalls."

"I'll help." Specs said. "See you later, Ace."

"Later." I said. They walked away as I turned toward my tent, but as I reached it, I heard movement within. I slowly looked in and saw Rainbow Dash, so I walked in. "More work?" She looked over.

"Huh?" She asked. "Oh, no, I just wanted to stop by to say thanks for helping the other day. I uh…"

"You were waiting by the flap, the wind blew, and you saw something interesting?" I asked. She laughed. "Well, I guess there is some interesting stuff in here. Uh, if you want, you're always invited, since you seem to find a reason to come in anyway." She laughed again.

"Thanks." She said. "So, what do you do all day when you're not practicing?"

"Reading, usually…" I said. "That's, why I'm here." She blinked. "Just to pass the time. I have some pretty good books."

"Well, I wanted to ask if you knew about a Unicorn that came to town recently." She said. "She calls herself 'the great and powerful Trixie'." I thought for a moment and raised my hoof a little.

"I, have heard of her…" I said. "She's not affiliated with us though." I thought about what I'd heard. "Very, showy. Likes to show off, a lot, big ego, thinks she's a gift to the world that everypony needs to see and worship." She scoffed.

"She's worse than that!" She said. "Jeeze, I do some awesome tricks, and she just, blows me back with this spell! Applejack did some rope tricks, and Trixie tied her up, and Rarity made a curtain turn into a dress, and Trixie, turned her hair green and, freaky!" I shook my head.

"She makes real performers look bad." I said. "To be good at this, you need to keep your ego in check or ponies start ignoring you." She scoffed.

"Somepony needs to take her down a peg." She said. I looked toward town.

"I think Specs could show her up." I said. "She's no slouch when it comes to spells. She helps a few of our more, flashy, Unicorn performers." She sighed.

"Well, we're trying to get Twilight to show her up, but, she won't." She said. "She doesn't want everypony to think she's a showoff… And for some reason, it made me think of you." I looked away. "Hey, she doesn't want to show off, you _won't_ show off. Just sayin'." I looked at her.

"Actually, I was just looking at my night stand." I said. She looked over as I looked back. "Specs borrowed one of my books." She laughed.

"A Pegasus obsessed with reading." She said.

"I'd say that I'm 'dedicated'." I said. She laughed a little more as I walked over and looked. "Yeah, definitely Specs. She always forgets that I leave the book I'm working on, on a dry towel so I'll know that that's where I put it."

"If we can't get Twilight to show up Trixie, you're sure Specs can?" She asked.

"Not easily, but yeah." I said. "She's got a few good spells that would work. She has one that makes mathematic equations appear in the air all around her, and she quickly solves them before making them fly around in some, pretty cool patterns."

"What kind of patterns?" She asked. "I doubt egghead stuff would be cool." I laughed.

"Swirls, butterflies in flight, Pegasi flying around, birds, whirlpools…" I listed. She smirked as I looked at her. "She's got a very interesting artistic sense with numbers."

"That would be cool to see, I guess." She said. "But would it be enough to show up 'the great and powerful' jerk?"

"I think so." I said. "Hard to say." She smirked.

"She's going down one way or another." She said. "I'll be back later. Don't forget to tell Specs to show up that jerk."

"She's been planning it for a while, just in case." I said.  
…

"Ace." Sky said. I raised my head, opening my eyes. I looked at the blur that formed her face, and she seemed worried. "Ace, how did you sleep through, through, _that?!_"

"Sleep through, what?" I asked tiredly. I looked at the window, and it was very late. "What did I… I…" I yawned and she put her hooves on my side and shook me. "Mi-i-i-iss…" I shook my head as she settled her front hooves onto the ground.

"Ace, there was an Ursa Minor!" She said quickly. I stared at her and my glasses moved onto the bridge of my nose, and I adjusted them.

"What?" I asked, completely confused.

"An Ursa Minor!" Specs said. "And, and Twilight Sparkle _stopped it_!" I sat up, but stopped.

"She, stopped, one of the _biggest_ creatures in Equestria." I said. They nodded. "How?"

"She, made the wind blow…" Sky said.

"It made reeds play a lullaby." Specs added.

"And then she moved the water tower, emptied it…" Sky continued.

"Filled it with fresh milk from Sweet Apple Acres." Specs noted.

"And made it float back to its cave while it was drinking the milk!" Sky finished. I looked out the window.

"And then Trixie tried to say she did it, but no one believed her!" Specs said. "She ran out of town, yelling we hadn't seen the last of her!" I was quiet for a moment, thinking.

"Well…" I said quietly. "Looks like we won't need the itching powder." They stared and Sky moved her wings.

"Ace, _Twilight Sparkle stopped a rampaging Ursa Minor!_" Sky said quickly. "Do you have any idea how impossible that is? That's the most amazing thing that's _ever_ happened and, and _we saw it_! Why were you sleeping?!" I yawned.

"Because you made me fly for two hours." I said. "To try to make me copy some of Rainbow Dash's moves." She was quiet as I went to lay down, but Specs moved the blanket.

"Ace, we have to go!" She said. "There's a big celebration!"

"What is it with Ponyville and parties?" I asked. "Yeah, this is great, but in the middle of the night?"

"It's three thirty!" Sky said.

"I've been asleep since ten thirty." I said. "I've had less than five hours sleep… How are you awake?"

"Because what we saw was scary, and then _awesome_!" Sky said. I sighed and got out of my bed, and Specs made my cloak float onto my back, closing the clasp.

"Fine." I said defeatedly. "Honestly, a guy can't get any sleep these days." I walked out with them as they laughed, and I looked toward the town. "How big is the, party, or wh-whatever…" I yawned again.

"Not too big, but nopony's sleeping the rest of tonight away…" Specs said. "Apart from Twilight and, the other Element Ponies… Well, Pinkie Pie's running the party." I stretched a little as we walked into town. "Want some cake?"

"Actually, I'll just sit on the side and watch." I said. "The more I have to move, the more tired I'll be. If I fall asleep, try to get me back to my bed without showing my wings to anyp-p-pony…" I yawned yet again and she tapped my forehead with her horn, and I instantly felt awake. "What…"

"New spell." She said. "I found it in a book at the library. Only works once every three days though. Cool, huh?" I stretched.

"Wakerus?" I asked. She blinked.

"You know that one?" She asked.

"Intermediate, grade five of twelve, introductory into intermediate spells regarding ponies." I said. "Book four of thirteen, chapter six, page fifty seven, line sixteen of paragraph nine." They were quiet. "Or was it paragraph ten…"

"Uh, nine, and how the heck did you know _exactly_ where it was?" She asked.

"Read it this afternoon before flying." I said. "Not that hard to remember a cool spell like that." I walked past them and they laughed.

"If you were a Unicorn, you'd be as awesome as Twilight." Sky said.

"Or, Kerrigan _Lightstrider_!" Specs said reverently. I slowed down a little, but pretended I was letting them go ahead.

"Who?" Sky asked. Specs scoffed as I laughed.

"Only Princess Celestia's best student from twenty years ago." Specs said cheerfully. "She invented tons of cool spells, and they're so easy to use."

"Yeah." I said. "Heck of a mare. Improved the old cloudwalking spell invented by Starswirl the Bearded to last three days instead of thirty hours." They looked at me. "What?"

"You know about her?" Sky asked.

"I read books on magic." I said. "Why wouldn't I know about her?" She shrugged as we walked calmly, and music was playing in the distance, near the square. "She also invented a spell that creates butterfly style wings on ponies so they can fly, though it doesn't have the cloudwalking bit."

"Do you have that book?" Specs asked. I nodded.

"Yeah, looks…" I started. "Well, not my place to say easy or hard." She laughed. "Sounds awesome though. If we ever go to Cloudsdale or anywhere in the sky, you should learn it to use on yourself, and the cloudwalking spell while you're at it." As we got closer, I saw a pink blur running toward us, so I looked up and jumped aside, knocking Specs out of the way while Pinkie tackled Sky, just in time for a large flower planter to hit the ground. "Specs, are you okay?" She got up and shook her head quickly.

"Whoa, what was that about?" She asked.

"H-hey, what's the big idea?" Sky asked. Pinkie stepped back.

"I'm so-so-so super sorry, but my tail started twitchin', and I saw the planter…" She said. "So, I ran-ran-ran over here, knocked _you_ out of the way, and Ace was all cool, pushing _her_ out of the way like that and helping her up… Are you both okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Specs said.

"Y-yeah, just, yell at us to jump next time." Sky said. "Sheesh, Ace said you had a tough tackle, but, I thought he was joking."

"Sorry." She said. "But, I didn't want you to get hurt. Trust me, when my tail twitches, look up and watch out."

"How does a twitching tail tell you things will fall?" Specs asked.

"Specs, we have a pony in the circus that looks into a ball of crystal, to see the future." I said. "We have an Earth Pony so strong he can lift five ton barbells as easily as I can lift a fifty pound one. Is it any real surprise, that an Earth Pony is in touch with nature so that a bodily action might indicate something?" Pinkie laughed into her hoof while Sky blinked.

"He has a point." She said. "I mean, there's stranger stuff out there… Maybe, it has to do with her connection to the Element of, Laughter?" Pinkie shrugged.

"Happened long before that." She said.

"You were always connected though, weren't you?" I asked. She shrugged again. "Well, whatever the case, two pieces of evidence I've seen, and one was enough for me." A few ponies cheered and she looked back and jumped up quickly, floating for a moment.

"Oh, I'm missing the apple dunk!" She said. She suddenly flew toward the party without ever touching the ground.

"Uh, did she just…" Specs started. "You know what, seeing is believing."

"I bet she wouldn't even need that butterfly wing spell." Sky said. "She could probably do that and never touch the clouds once." We laughed as we continued walking.

"You know what, that wouldn't surprise me." I said. "After what we've heard of, I don't know if I can be surprised anymore."  
…

"Hey, Ace, got a _huge_ favor to ask." Lionheart asked.

"Kira's loose again." I said.

"No, no, we're watching him in shifts with a few others." He said. "No, we need you to get some bird feed. We found a bird that was abandoned by its mother, so we're taking care of it. We need some food for the poor thing. So, I'll watch it, and you get it. Make sure she knows it's a baby."

"Who is 'she'?" I asked. I looked at him as he moved his hoof, looking at it.

"F-Fluttershy." He said.

"It has to be me?" I asked.

"Well, Sky said that if we found an excuse that got you off the grounds…" He started.

"She'd give you a hug?" I asked.

"Kiss on the cheek." He said. I was silent for a moment.

"Yeah, I can see that." I said, shrugging. "And this makes six."

"Six, what?" He asked. "Cake slices?"

"No, I got my last one a while ago." I said. I started walking. "I'll have met all six of the ponies that saved Equestria. Doesn't that just beat all you've ever heard of?" He laughed.

"No way." He said.

"Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, are all actually close to being friends." I said. "Rainbow Dash asked a favor, Applejack asked a favor, and now a favor brings me to Fluttershy's home. What's next? Horatio sending me to Canterlot to meet the princesses so I can be knighted?"

"Oh, before you go." He said. I looked as he pulled out a bag of money and gave it to me. "To pay for the bird seed. I, don't know how much you'll need but, uh, give a little extra, say it's for helping the bird, and to make sure she has enough to take care of the animals she has around her home…" He pointed. "If she tries to say no, say, that we like to help animals when we can… Don't, come back with any of the bits. We want to help however we can."

"You want her to like you." I said. He lowered his head. "Fine. I'll give her all of the money, and tell her it's for the animals. But I _will not_ mention your names."

"I don't mind." He said. "If she just likes the circus, that's good enough for us. But, if she takes a liking to you…"

"She won't." I said. "Not like I have that kind of luck." He laughed as I walked.

"Uh, hurry, please." He said. "We've only got enough for two more meals for the little guy."

"I'll be back as soon as I can manage." I said. I cantered my way toward the direction he pointed, and I looked to see a house on the edge of town, on a hill, possibly built into it and the tree over it. "That is a nice house… She lives, above it?" I looked up and saw nothing special, but as I got closer, I saw animals all around the house up to the walk. "Well, they said… She lives with a lot of animals… I guess, she's not only good with them, she's… A veterinarian? Of, a sort?" I shook my head and cantered up the walk and slowly raised my hoof to the door. I knocked four times and heard a voice, but it was so quiet I only just caught the words 'somepony' and 'door'.

"Hello?" A soft female voice said.

"I'm, here from the circus." I said. "The animal tamers found a, baby bird that was, abandoned. They sent me here to buy, some food. I guess a few month's worth, if it won't cause any trouble." I turned slightly, taking a step, looking around. She opened the door a crack while I looked at all of the animals in her yard, and I was honestly amazed at how many different kinds were there. "There are a lot of birds here, and, I really hope we don't end up taking all of their food."

"Oh no, I have more than enough." She said. "Please, come in." I looked and saw the door completely open, and I heard movement from beyond a corner, so I walked in and pulled out the money, putting it down while a little rabbit hopped up onto a table and looked at me, and then at the bag, and then at me again.

"Hello." I said. It stared before opening the bag and sticking its head in, making me laughed under my breath. It looked at me before pulling out a bit.

"How many birds do you have?" She asked. She was right behind the corner and I looked to see a small bit of pink hair.

"I think, ten, pets mostly…" I said. "Four, cockatiels, three parrots, a pigeon, a blue jay, and… The baby bird… I don't know what it is yet, they didn't say."

"Okay, just a minute, please…" She said. "If you don't mind. I can deliver, if you want."

"No, it's okay." I said. "I don't mind waiting." I looked at the rabbit as it looked at the bag and me. "If you need some help…" I turned slightly. "I'm getting an odd look from a small rabbit."

"Oh, that's Angel." She said. "I hope he isn't bothering you."

"No, he's just, looking at me, and the money I'm paying." I said.

"You don't have to pay." She said. "I'm just happy to know they're taking care of a baby bird."

"Well, we, at the circus, want to help you." I said. I turned slightly. "I can tell you take care of a lot of animals. Every bit helps you help them, and that's why we're going to give you the money. Payment, gift, donation, call it what you will." She laughed quietly, and I couldn't help but want to see her. She had a cute laugh. "But, if you need help with the bags, I'm, kind of strong."

"Well, if you want to." She said. I felt something on my back, so I looked to see Angel, and he pointed. I turned my head and walked around the corner and was her tail from behind an open cabinet. "I think the birdseed is in here, but it might be up on the shelf to the left…" I walked over and slowly got up on my hind legs after Angel jumped onto the counter, and I opened a cupboard. "It's not here."

"I think I see it." I said. I leaned up a little more and grabbed a bag carefully. "How many?"

"I want to say three, but if you're paying, I should see how much is fair." She said. I looked at the size of the bag before moving it down into my leg, setting it by Angel.

"Three should be more than we need." I said. I moved another and she made a sound.

"Angel, how did you get up there so fast?" She asked.

"He hopped on my back and pointed over here." I said. I set the bag down and she sighed.

"Angel, please don't be so pushy." She said. "You didn't have to help me, mister…" I set the third bag down and turned to her, and for a moment I lost my train of thought, but quickly recovered, offering my hoof.

"Stormrider…" I said. "Er, Ace. Ace, Stormrider." She slowly shook my hoof, as if nervous, but she seemed in thought.

"Oh, you're Pinkie and Rarity's new friend." She said.

"Well, friend…" I started. "Maybe, Pinkie's, since she pretty much is a friend to everypony. Rarity… Well, acquaintance, bordering on friend, I'd say." She smiled a little, but looked at Angel. "Thank you, for the birdseed. I know the animal trainers are happy."

"How are they?" She asked. "The animals, I mean."

"Well cared for." I said. "Anypony bothers them, they're gently escorted away. And they're always watched in case they're uncomfortable. If they seem a little, stir crazy, they're taken out for a few hours to walk around… Except…"

"Kira?" She suggested. I nodded and laughed.

"Yeah, he, gets out." I said. "No one knows how, but now they're watching him in shifts. It's okay to want out for a walk, but slipping out and eating frosting in the middle of the night is… Okay, as long as nopony gets hurt, but…" She laughed quietly and I shook my head. "He's a good lion, but he's a better escape artist."


	11. A Surprise, or is it?

**Another week, another adventure, eh? Not much to say, about this, just an update, so… Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Thank you, and have a nice Friday.  
…**

A few weeks passed quickly in Ponyville, and so far things had gone great. Repeat crowds for the new shows, I'd gotten used to my new cloak, and I had Horatio's hat ready to surprise him. I was just waiting for the right time. Sky kept saying she wanted him in a good mood, so she wanted me to use it to butter him up a little for her. Part of me wanted to give it to him and be done with it, but she kept insisting, so I still had the hat. She'd tell me the night before, and I'd give him the hat the following day.

Pinkie Pie was a regular visitor lately, and she had a few stories to tell about what she and the others had done, not limited to meeting a hydra in Froggie Bottom Bog and Twilight receiving tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala, along with enough for the others. Along with Pinkie Pie, Twilight came by now and then to see how much fun everypony was having. It was somewhat surreal, that six famous ponies, acted just like the rest of us, and didn't ask for special treatment. If I were in Applejack's place though, I'd ask for financial aid for the farm, since she apparently worked quite hard to earn just enough money to pay the bills and other expenses.

"Hey, Ace." Sky said. "Something strange is going on in town." I looked up from my book. "Everypony's going in, and, there's this strange pony in a brown cloak walking into town."

"That, is kind of strange…" I said. "What, can we do?"

"Well…" She said. "We could investigate, ask why everypony's indoors. Maybe the pony walking into town can tell us?" I went back to my book.

"Good idea." I said. "Specs is good with questions."

"Ace…" She said.

"I'm on a good chapter here." I said. "And before you ask, no, it's not a spellbook, it's a Daring Do novel. So, if you don't mind, I'm right in the middle of where she's grabbing a sapphire statuette from a trapped room." She walked over.

"You read Daring Do?" She asked.

"Yup." I said. "I hear they're working on a movie for this one. I wouldn't mind catching it." She shook her head.

"Bookmark?" She asked.

"Maybe later…" I said. The book suddenly had a bookmark placed in it before closing, and floating under my pillow. "Hey, she just grabbed the statue, the floor caved in, and she was surrounded by magma while her wing was out of commission. Not fair, Specs."

"Come on, we need to ask around." Sky said. "I told dad you'd be up for this. Don't make me a liar." I sighed and got out of my bed.

"Honestly." I said. "I'm getting out more each week, and still I get dragged out of my comfy bed and away from a good book." I pointed at her as Specs put my cloak on me. "You should try reading sometime. Daring Do is a great series." She got behind me and began pushing me, and I walked until she got me out, and then she moved beside me.

"Come on bookworm." She said. "Let's go."

"Yeah." Specs said. "This could be interesting. Like a mystery."

"My only mystery is how will Daring Do escape that trap?" I said. "That's what I want to know." As we walked into town, we looked around, and it was completely silent, and empty. "So, where is the traveler so I can get back to my book?"

"Ace, girls, over here!" Pinkie's voice called. We looked over and saw the others running. "We need your help! Applebloom went missing! I think it's Zecora's doing!" We looked at one another before running over. As reluctant to deal with others as I was, kidnapping was something I'd always get involved with, even if it meant showing my wings. When we caught up to the girls, Applejack looked over at me.

"Who's Zecora?" Sky asked.

"She's this strange pony that lives in Everfree Forest." She said. "My sister disappeared, and we think Zecora might be involved. I don't know about kidnappin', but she ain't here, that's for sure." We ran toward the forest and slowed down, looking around quickly. "I don't like this place. Never will. It ain't natural."

"The clouds move…" Rainbow Dash said.

"The plants grow…" Applejack said.

"And the animals take care of themselves…" Fluttershy said.

"On their own." They all said together. I looked at the forest.

"So, where do we look?" Specs asked.

"Zecora's hut's this way." Rainbow Dash said. "I saw it from the air once. This path leads right to it." We all walked in carefully, looking around. I heard a noise and looked to see Twilight pointing at Pinkie Pie briefly.

"Pinkie, don't scare them with that song." She said. "I'm sure this can all be explained." Pinkie nodded slowly and I looked to my right a little, and I saw a field of blue flowers and a young filly.

"There!" I said quickly. "Is that Applebloom?"

"Yeah, let's hurry!" Applejack said. "We need to get her home _quick_. She must be terrified!" They ran ahead, but I stayed back a little. If they were afraid, maybe there was a good reason. I kept an eye out for anything moving, but besides that, I'd read that Timberwolves lived in the Everfree Forest. I didn't want to deal with the likes of them. Living wooden wolves that were just as ferocious as regular wild wolves definitely weren't on my list of creatures to meet. As I got closer, I looked to see them talking, but as I reached them, a figure moved out.

"Beware, beware you ponyfolk!" She called. "These leaves of blue are not a joke!" I tuned it all out as I looked at the flowers, where they touched my legs. I saw some pollen on my hooves when I heard Applejack turn, so I looked up.

"Come on, let's get out of here before she comes back." She said. They ran, so I turned, but looked back to see two glowing eyes looking over. I looked ahead and ran to catch up, briefly jumping and gliding over some branches for extra speed. When I caught up, Specs slowed down.

"Did Zecora's accent seem, familiar?" She asked.

"A little, but, I can't place it." I said. "But, what she said… The whole, beware and leaves of blue… We were standing in blue leaved plants."

"Doesn't matter." Sky said. "We should be safe from any curses now."

"There's no such thing as a curse!" Twilight called.

"I agree." I said. "Just a lot of superstition."  
…

I moved under my blankets when I heard a loud scream, and I shot up, instantly falling out of bed and landing on my chin. I scrambled to get up and saw the camp running toward Specs' tent, when a second scream came from Sky's tent. I rapidly got my cloak and glasses and ran out as fast as I could, but something felt off. I didn't stop until I slid to a halt in front of Sky's tent, and she stuck her head out.

"Ace…" She started.

"Sky?" I asked. "You're…"

"See through." She said. She stepped out, her whole body not totally there. Like, she was a ghost. "I'm still, physically here, but… I can see through my hooves. A-am I…"

"Totally, translucent." I said. She raised her head.

"No, freaking, way." She said. "W-what about, Specs?"

"Uh, guys…" Specs said. We looked over, and Sky jumped slightly as I stared.

"Uh, hi." I said. "Wow. That's, a surprise." She had a third eye, in her forehead, just below the horn.

"Well, you said nothing would surprise you…" She said. "Here's, nothing." I rubbed my eyes. "Yes, it's, a pineal eye. Go ahead, say it."

"Say, what?" I asked.

"It's a 'sight you've never seen'." She said. "Or, how about, 'you're a sight for sore eyes'… Or, 'hey, four eyes is now six eyes'."

"Specs, you know we wouldn't, say that…" Sky said. "But… What happened?"

"We're cursed, by Zecora!" Specs said. "Ace, wh-what did she, do to you?" I looked at my body for a moment.

"Nothing, I can tell, right now…" I started. Sky gasped.

"Oh, my, Celestia." She said. I looked at her. "Ace, you, you have, a horn." I blinked.

"W-what do you mean?" I asked. Specs gasped.

"Whoa, I was looking at your cloak, and then your hair…" She said.

"Ace, you've, you've got a horn!" Sky said. I looked up slightly. "It's, it's a Unicorn horn. What… Why would she curse you, with that?" I reached up slowly and touched, a solid object. Pushing it made my head move, so I blinked.

"Wake up Ace, you're dreaming again." I said. Sky slugged me, and I looked at her.

"Ace, this is no dream, you're a Unicorn now." She said. "Wait, do you still, have your wings?" I shifted them and raised my right one, looking under the cloak carefully.

"Yeah, still there…" I said. "Looks like it did yesterday and every day since I was born. I could do without them for a day…"

"Hey, you can, show 'em off?" Specs suggested.

"No…" I said. "Let's… Let's go see Twilight. She's an expert on magic, so, maybe she'll know something?" A thought hit me. "Oh no."

"The girls…" Specs started.

"Were there…" Sky continued.

"In the forest." I said.

"It had to have gotten us all, whatever this is." Sky said. Specs started running.

"Let's move!" She called. I took off and caught up easily. "Hurry!" I saw something moving ahead. It was Sky. As we got to the library, the door opened. "Sky?"

"Yeah, it was me." She said. "Let's go."

"Um, sorry, we're not open right now." Twilight called. I walked in and looked over, and she looked to see me. "Who… Ace?"

"Yeah, funny story." I said. "Woke up this morning to Specs and Sky screaming at the top of their lungs. I run to find Sky is translucent, invisible in the right light, and…"

"I've got a third eye." Specs said. She walked over and I saw Twilight's horn.

"What…" I started. She turned away. "You too, huh?"

"Yeah, whatever it is, I need to figure it out." She said. I walked over. "Could you put something over Sky? Your cloak may… Uh, sorry." I thought for a moment.

"Well, maybe…" I started. I closed my eyes and focused. "I have a horn, so, maybe…" I opened my eyes as she looked over, and a blanket floated down. "Sky, get under this please." I heard her walk and saw her, so I draped it and tied it off carefully. "There."

"Wow, it, worked." She said.

"I guess reading those books paid off after all." Twilight said. "Now, help me find a spell that can fix this, or some kind of cure."  
…

I sighed as I looked through my books. The others were going to find Zecora to try to undo it by making her tell them, but I was going to look through my books until I found what we needed.

"Ace, are you alright?" Horatio asked.

"No, it turns out this horn is, limited." I said. "Only a few seconds of magic. About, ten seconds of telekinesis before I get a headache and a nosebleed." He sighed. "Could you, pass me that book on the shelf? Supernaturals?" He walked over and gave it to me while I blew my nose into a washcloth that I'd been wringing out. He grimaced. "Yeah, blood. I've been, using the magic to speed my reading along. Painful, but worth it." The book levitated and I set it down in front of me, turning the pages every minute or so.

"I hope that doesn't make it worse." He said.

"Only if I hold it for ten seconds." I said. "Just grab the corner, turn the page, let go, one, one and a half seconds, tops… Poison, Joke… Blue leaves…" I looked at the forest through a window in the tent. "She said… Zecora, said the leaves of blue, were not a joke… Poison Joke, has blue leaves…" He walked over and I looked at the page, taking in the details. "Okay, I see. It's easy. The plant has a semi-magical effect that acts as a prank on the afflicted. There's even an antidote here. When the girls get back, I'll…"

"Ace!" Sky called. The flap opened and a bunch of vines stood in her place, causing Horatio to jump.

"Goodness!" He called.

"Dad, it's me." She said. "Ace, Zecora has the antidote. It was…"

"Poison Joke." I said. She stepped in as I held the book up. "Answer was right here all along. I read about this exact plant a few weeks ago. Forgot about it. Figures, doesn't it?" She laughed.

"Uh, anyway, the spa has what we need, so, we'll get a couple of tubs, fill 'em up…" She said. Her head moved. She was totally invisible, with just the vines covering her to tell us where she was. "And zap, I'll be visible, you'll have no horn… And, maybe it'll fix your wings?"

"One can only hope." I said. "Let's go… But, just in case, I, might need a private tub." I nodded to Horatio. "Boss, we'll be back soon." He nodded.

"Good luck." He said. "Um, say hello to this, Zecora, and thank her for me."

"Will do, dad." Sky said. We walked out, and she nudged me as we got past the gate. "Ace, when we get back, give him the hat. I want to buy a dress."

"Why?" I asked.

"Well, I've got kind of an idea." She said. "I'll tell you later… Much later. But I need to buy a dress, and, I talked to Rarity, and it'll come to more than I've got. I need dad to give me twenty bits, but… You know how he is."

"How much will it run you?" I asked.

"Two fifty." She said. "I'm just a little short, five bits, but I want to give her some extra. Don't worry." I sighed.

"Done." I said. We walked up to the spa and Twilight beckoned us over.

"It's almost ready." She said. "And, I remembered your, uh, cloak issue, so I asked them to set up a private tub just for you, Ace."

"Much obliged." I said. "By the way, remember the book I bought the day we met?" She looked at me as we walked in. "Zecora had a copy, right?"

"You had the answer?" She asked.

"I had it nearly a month ago." I said. "I haven't read the book recently, so I ended up forgetting about the page on Poison Joke and the remedy. Strange part, I was thinking about reading it yesterday when Sky and Specs dragged me out of my room when they heard about Zecora walking into town so we could ask her why everypony was indoors." She laughed. "If I'd have been able to read it, I could have told everypony the cure…"

"But, Zecora's, pretty nice." She said. "So, it worked out for the best. We made a new friend." I smiled a little.

"Well, good thing I didn't get to read it then." I said. They laughed as a pony walked up to me.

"Mr. Stormrider?" She asked. I nodded. She was pink, with a blue mane. "Right this way please." I followed her as the girls walked up to a big wooden tub, and she walked me to a room. "When you're done, just let us know. This remedy is actually quite good for your coat and complexion."

"So it said in the book." I said. She laughed as she closed the door. I walked over and removed my cloak after looking around, and I stepped in. The water was nice and warm, the perfect temperature. I sighed and instantly sank in, moving into a sitting position before going under completely. When I was nearly out of breath I surfaced and moved back, resting against the edge, my wings under the somewhat murky water. "This is _perfect_." I sighed happily. There were three things I absolutely loved in my life. My mother's hot chocolate, a good book, and a bath that's _just_ the right temperature. Where I forgot where I ended and the water began, and that was so hard to find. "I could spend some money on this from time to time… Just a nice relaxing spa visit like this…" I moved so that my chin and lips were in the water, but not my nostrils, reclining happily. After what felt like hours, the door opened. I got up just enough to see, Zecora. I could tell by her legs. "Zecora, I presume?"

"You are right, rider of the storm." She said. I smiled a little. "I trust that the water is nice and warm?" I sighed quietly.

"It's _exactly_ the right temperature." I said. "I take a bath every night, and only five times out of the year do I get it _this_ perfect right when I get in." She laughed and walked up, so I shifted a little. "I'm not sure my body's even here with me, but, I'm not about to complain."

"You may think otherwise when you hear my words." She said. "I saw your wings, not like a bird's." I sat up slightly. "Your wings are like those of a bat, but we both know this won't change that. A private room to hide, not shame, but what exactly is your aim?" I sighed quietly, looking at the water.

"First…" I said. "How, did you know? How did you see them?"

"I saw you jump and take slow flight, while the others were full of fright." She said. "I watched you leave the forest, unsure, of whether or not you would find the cure. Your wings, I thought, were hidden well, but I wondered if it was from a spell. Or perhaps the pollen of the flower, but the effects weren't that fast, less than an hour." Her rhyming speech was somewhat odd, but it was actually less cryptic than some might call it.

"Well, you're right." I said. "Wasn't, from the Poison Joke. I've had them, my whole life. It isn't magic or anything… But, it, made my childhood, um, difficult…"

"Ridicule from your childhood peers, I think I understand your fears." She said. "They laughed and joked about your wings, unfeeling fools who cared for things. But to hide them deep within your cloak, you protected them from the Poison Joke."

"Do you, always speak in rhyme?" I asked. "I know, it's not important, but…"

"Only when I feel it fits." She said. "I can stop if it bothers you."

"Well, it just, kind of takes longer…" I said. "I'm, kind of worried the girls will come in and, see my wings, or, overhear us talking about them… The longer it takes, the, more likely, you know?" She nodded and sat down.

"Well, it is true." She said. "Your wings were safe from the pollen's effects, though your horn… Had I not seen your wings, I'd have thought you were just keeping an eye on your friends. A Unicorn that hid his horn under his hair, perhaps. But your wings made me see that it wasn't possible, or at least very unlikely, as such ponies are quite rare." I nodded and looked at the water again. "The horn, was not so much a joke or prank, but…"

"If you think, that my blood is both Unicorn, and Pegasus…" I said quietly.

"I would be right?" She suggested.

"Well, in so many words." I said.

"The horn granted you some magic, but still you got rid of it." She said. "Poison Joke isn't something that grows stronger by too much as it runs its course. Perhaps a little, but only enough that it would make it possible for your magic to be where it should be naturally. Is there any, without it?" I got out of the tub and she watched me, as a towel floated over and landed on my back. "I see. It is there… But it is not very strong…" I moved the towel and dried off. "The look in your eyes. You have seen ponies about this, and they have said many things to you."

"They said it's not likely ever going to work right." I said. "At best, I can use Telekinesis for small things, like this, for about ten seconds at a time. The horn… Didn't do anything. I wanted it, so badly, to work, and let me use magic like any other pony. I'd, be able to use it for all kinds of things. But, it was just for show… That was the joke. What could have been." I sighed. "Not exactly cruel, but, it still hurt."


	12. A Very Helpful Friend

**Not much to say today, but here we are once more. Last time there was a question. Ace used magic, when he had the horn grown by the effect of Poison Joke, and then when he had just had the effect removed by the spa (Private spa, he's lucky he's so neurotic about his wings, eh?). There are partial answers, but the truth will be shown… Eventually. Until then, here's chapter twelve. Hopefully you all like it. If not, I did what I could.**

**On an unrelated note, I'm quite happy to have a story that has this rating. It's a nice change. No violence or adult matters. It feels good.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.  
…**

I rolled onto my side, the sun shining right into my eyes. I wasn't about to get back to sleep after that. I sighed and my glasses moved over my eyes. Whenever no one was looking, I was fully willing to use what little magic I had. If Sky or Specs found out, I'd probably never stop hearing about it.

'What time is it?' I thought tiredly. I looked at my clock and squinted slightly as I adjusted the glasses. 'Six thirty… Eight hours, or thereabout.' I got up and did my bed before pulling my cloak on. It was the only practice I got with my magic. Right after waking up on my own, I'd get my glasses and cloak or a book. Otherwise, I'd just go about it normally. 'I think… Yeah, a jog this morning. I'm sure Sky won't be able to annoy me later if she knows I already left the grounds.' I walked out of the tent and saw a few others getting ready, while others were going to bed. I started jogging toward the gate, looking at the others. 'I blame Sky for this.' As I jogged, I looked toward Sweet Apple Acres and sighed as I turned toward it. 'Dang it. Why am I going? To help? What can I do?' The minutes went by quickly as I made my way down the road, and after a while I looked around. Not one pony to see me, not even any wild animals. 'Well…' I looked back and saw no one. After a moment I opened my wings and flapped hard, taking off and quickly going high up. I saw a cloud home so I stayed under it, just to be safe. Along the way, I spotted the farm and flew toward it, when I saw a tangerine pony, so I flew toward the ground, landing as usual before putting my wings away. As I looked up, I saw I was just in time. Applejack was walking toward me. "Good morning."

"Uh, yeah." She said. "I hope so. If you're flyin' toward us, I hope…" She seemed nervous so I shook my head.

"I, was just jogging, and decided, I should exercise my wings a little." I said. "And, I thought, I'd see where we'll be working in a few weeks."

"Oh, good." She said. "Big McIntosh, my brother, is giving me all kinds of grief." She looked over her shoulder. "He's out in the north field, I'll be in the northeast… Uh, any chance, I could ask a, favor?"

"Well…" I said. "I guess. What are, friends for, right?" She laughed. "Besides that, I need an excuse to make sure Sky doesn't try to bug me off of the grounds again."

"Well, Granny's hip is a little, bothersome lately." She said as she looked at me. "She wants a few things from the market, and she's havin' trouble gettin' up and walkin'. So, she might let ya go in her place. There's a lot o' work, so…"

"Well, I came all this way." I said. "I kind of wondered if I'd try to help with something." She laughed.

"Thanks." She said. "Just tell her I sent ya to help." She turned and started walking. "Seems like you're always there to help when any of us ask."

"We travel a lot, and survive on the kindness of strangers." I said. "What would it say about us if we were to turn around and say no when asked for help by those who help us?" She walked away as I smiled. I walked up to the house and knocked, and the door opened to reveal Applebloom.

"Oh, hi Mr. Stormrider." She said.

"Good morning." I said.

"Is something wrong?" She asked.

"No, I was just on a morning jog, and, I thought I'd stop by." I said. "Goodness knows why… But Applejack says your grandmother could use a little help with her shopping?" She nodded.

"Yeah, I was just about to let her know I'd try to help with it." She said. "C'mon in." I walked in as she stepped back and started walking quickly to the right, so I followed her. "Granny, I'd like ya to meet a friend of Applejack's!"

"What's that?" An elderly voice asked. We walked into a room and a wizened green pony looked over. "Oh, hello. You must be that nice Mr. Stormrider from the circus."

"Wow, how'd ya know, Granny?" Applebloom asked.

"Well, Applejack said there was a nice young pony with a blue mane." She said. "I may be old, but that's as blue as blue gets." I smiled. She reminded me of an older pony we traveled with, known to most of us as Gran. "So, what're ya here for, sonny?"

"Applejack said your hip was giving you a little trouble today." I said. "So, she asked if I'd help, if I could. I'd feel rude to say no." She smiled as Applebloom giggled.

"Well, it's true." Granny said. "My hip isn't exactly what it used to be." She put on a pair of glasses and pulled a note out of a bag near her. "Let's see, er, yup, this is the list." She held it out to Applebloom, who gently bit it and turned it up to read it. "Now, I'm not sure how much it'll cost. So…" She moved the bag and put it around Applebloom's neck. "Here's what I've got. I trust ya both, so good luck." Applebloom put the note back.

"Don't worry, Granny." She said. "We'll get everything." She turned and walked out the door and I bowed.

"I'm glad to help." I said.

"Such a nice young lad." She said kindly. "Come back around Zap Apple season. I'll make some of my jam for ya, on the house." I smiled.

"Thank you." I said. "I'll be sure to come by if I have to live up to my name." She laughed quietly as I walked out. When Applebloom looked over, she smiled at me. "Okay, where to?" She pointed at Ponyville.

"Looks like it's mostly groceries, but we need some new baskets." She said. "Applejack sure loads 'em up until they fall apart." I smiled a little. "And after that, we need some yarn. Granny wants to make some sweaters for fall." We walked a ways before she sighed. "Sure is a long walk to town."

"It's good for the legs though." I said. "I'm sure by the time we help with the apple bucking season, my legs should be a lot stronger." She laughed.

"Applejack said she heard you can buck as good as she does." She said. "But no one apple bucks like my big sister."

"Well, I do alright." I said. "As long as I can help, that's enough for me." After a few minutes, she sighed again.

"Aren't you a Pegasus?" She asked.

"Yeah, but, I don't really like anypony seeing my wings." I said. "Issues, really, boring stuff. Don't like to talk about it." She laughed.

"Come on, you could fly us there in no time." She said.

"Ah, you wouldn't want to fly." I said. "The updrafts, downdrafts, air currents… Even if I just went with a glide, it'd be bumpy."

"I don't mind." She said. "Applejack lets me help her practice for rodeos. I gotta hold on while she tries to buck me off. It can't be half that bad." I laughed.

"I'd have to blindfold you." I said. "And swear you to secrecy." We both laughed for a few minutes.

"Well, if it's that much trouble, maybe when you don't mind anypony seein' your wings." She said.

"That might be a while, but, you're on." I said. She laughed as we made our way closer to town.  
…

"Ace?" A familiar voice asked. I set down on the ground and looked to see Pinkie Pie.

"Oh, hey Pinkie Pie." I said.

"And to think, a few chapters ago you barely left the circus grounds for anything." She said. I felt a little confused, but she did that sometimes. "So, what are you doing here?"

"I'm just helping Applebloom help Granny Smith." I said. "Her hip's giving her trouble… Granny, not Applebloom." I knew she would have asked that.

"Oh." She said. "Cool. Can I help?"

"I think we're about done actually." I said. "I'm just getting the last thing on the list. Applebloom is getting some yarn so Granny can make a few sweaters for the fall."

"She makes some really nice sweaters." She said. "So, you're just helping out where you can?" I shrugged.

"When I have the time, and somepony asks." I said. "I was jogging, and I went by Sweet Apple Acres, still not sure why, but, yeah… Just, helping out here and there."

"Okie-dokie-lokie." She said. I laughed quietly as she hopped a few times, but stopped. "Oh, before I forget, Sky was asking for you. Something about a hat?" I blinked and looked toward the camp.

"Oh, right." I said. "I'm supposed to give Horatio a hat to replace his old one that he lost a few years back, so, after I'm done helping Granny Smith, I'll have to get back to the circus and give Horatio his new hat." She laughed.

"I saw it while Rarity was working on it." She said. "It was neat." I nodded as I turned back and got back up on my hind legs, reaching up and grabbing a tea kettle, setting it down lightly. "See ya later alligator."

"In a while, crocodile." I said. She giggled as she bounced away. I paid for the kettle and put it away and turned just as Applebloom walked over with the yarn. "That looks like everything." She pulled out the list and looked at it.

"Yup, that's it." She said. "Granny's gonna be happy we got it all so quick." We started walking after she put the list away. "You know, it'll be a lot harder of a walk with all o' this stuff."

"Better for the legs." I said. She laughed.

"I'll wear a blindfold." She said. She walked up beside me so I moved my wing, making her laugh. "Why don't ya want anyone seein' your wings?"

"Well…" I said quietly. "Let's just say they're different from Rainbow Dash's wings, or Fluttershy's."

"How?" She asked. I was silent until we were at the edge of town. "Mr. Stormrider?"

"They're just, different." I said. "I doubt you'll see any like mine unless magic is involved."

"Sky said they're cool lookin'." She said.

"Well, nice to know she can keep a secret." I said.

"She did." She said. I looked at her. "I kept askin' an' askin', but she wouldn't tell me what they look like. I don't get it. Are they, bigger than hers? Or her father's?"

"Well, yeah, but that's not what she meant." I said. "I just… I have issues. Not the sort of thing I tell just anypony about."

"Just your best friends?" She asked quietly. I nodded. "If I were one of your best friends, would ya tell me then?" I thought for a moment.

"Yeah, I would." I said. "But you'd have to take the vow of secrecy, and that's always a hassle." She laughed. "Then there's the ritual, and I don't know where to get powdered redwood around here. And then, there's the whole ritual involved with the powdered redwood, and _that_ has to be done during the full moon while wearing a rubber chicken hat…" She laughed louder as I smirked. "Believe me, you have to really work at it to learn it."

"Pinkie Pie said you were funny." She said after she stopped laughing. "Always got jokes like that… But…"

"Tell you what, help me out during the apple bucking, and I'll tell you what Sky meant." I said.

"Alright!" She said excitedly. "You can count on me!" I smiled as we walked down the road.  
…

"Hey, Ace, I have an idea." Sky said. I was silent as I read my book. "If we made some kind of feather cover for your wings…"

"It'd take a while, and the feathers could fall off." I said. She was silent. Then she stomped her hooves excitedly.

"Okay, fake wing covers…" She started.

"Can slip off with the best buckles." I finished. She was silent again for a moment.

"Uh, okay, okay, glamour magic." She said.

"Only works for so long, and the act would require constant refreshing…" I said. "Might work, if we had Specs on the post, but it takes a lot of effort."

"Dang…" She said. "Okay, okay, I got it, I got a good one. If we just used a full crowd illusion spell to make them and the others think your wings are normal." I thought on that one. "How hard are those?"

"Ten Unicorns of Specs' level would have to constantly maintain it in shifts." I said. "It'd be more an illusion on my wings, and the shifts would be stressful. Ten is, being pretty hopeful, but we don't know how good Specs is at her best." She sat down. "It's a great idea though. If we had enough ponies for it that new my secret, and were all Unicorns, I think it would work." She smiled a little as I looked up. "But, still, I'm just, not ready for that kind of thing. I already have enough issues just walking on a rope above the crowd." She sighed. "Thanks, for being so concerned. It's more than I think I deserve sometimes." She laughed.

"Well, you're pretty awesome to me." She said. "If anyone else flies as good as you, I just hope he's willing to try."

"Me too." I said after a few minutes. "The only one as good as me is my father. But, he's thirty years older than me. I don't know if he could do too many shows in one week, let alone a few nights." She was silent. "Still… Someday, maybe, I might be able to do it. Just have to hope it won't take thirty years." She laughed.

"Yeah." She said. "Oh, dad let me get what I wanted." She had a singsong tone that meant I was supposed to guess something.

"Your dress." I said. She giggled. "It's, cloud patterned, with mostly, cirrus."

"Nope." She said. I thought for a moment.

"Stratus." I said. She giggled again. "Not cloud patterned?"

"No." She said teasingly. I closed the book after putting the bookmark in. Now I was interested. I stared at her and she smiled as I thought.

"Let's see…" I said. "Knowing you, it's unique, as you are, and you'd make sure it had some important connection to you and this circus…" She giggled and I tilted my head. "Seeing as the cloud part is gone, that just _leaves_ the circus, meaning that it would be something themed as to our lifestyle." She smiled wider as I put my hoof to my chin. "And seeing as you wouldn't want to be that predictable, it would be something different than you'd usually go for, but something that could still be fun…"

"I stumped you." She said happily.

"Quite the contrary." I said. "You made the answer obvious, because the obvious is too obvious, so I would look at that, and then away because of that fact, but knowing this… It's patterned after the Wonderbolt jumpsuits in the style of a ball gown, with a pair of crystal goggles." She stopped smiling and stared.

"That's just not fair." She said. We both laughed after a moment. "Darn it, how did you do that?"

"Because you're my sister." I said happily. She laughed quietly and sighed.

"As good as one, at least…" She said quietly. "Well, anyway, you're totally right, down to the goggles." She shook her head. "You're good… I guess you know me better than anyone…" I walked up beside her and put my wing over her shoulders, making her laugh.

"Like a brother should." I said. She smiled as I stepped to the side. "So, what's the dress for? No way you can fly in it."

"Well, you remember how dad said we were swinging by Canterlot?" She asked.

"Oh no." I said.

"No." She said. "It's not for a few months. It's, for a couple of nights. The circus won't even unpack." She cleared her throat. "Dad got tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala." I whistled.

"Lucky you." I said.

"Three, tickets…" She said quietly. "But don't worry!" I was silent. "I, invited Specs. Dad and I knew you'd never go for it, no matter how much we begged or pleaded or, tried to bribe."

"Just, bring back pictures." I said after a few seconds. She nodded.

"And, from what I've heard, Rarity is making dresses for the others, for a fashion show." She said. "You should come."

"Well, I'll see if, I have the time." I said. "I have a lot of reading to catch up on."

"About that, why?" She asked. "You do a lot of reading, but you always say you have to catch up. Why?"

"Well, I made a promise." I said. "And, I won't say to whom. Personal reasons." She laughed.

"What are you catching up on?" She asked. "You can't use magic."

"Doesn't mean I can't use something about it." I said. "Good for clearing my head. You should try it sometime." She laughed again as I sat on the bed, but she walked over to me and made me stand. "Now?"

"She's working so hard on the clothes, and she'll need help." She said. "You've got some skill. You know about, all those, fancy sewing terms, and how to put a, a… Whatsit stitch." I feigned a gasp.

"Are you _insane_?" I asked dramatically. "A _whatsit_? The last pony that tried that wound up going _mad_! I wouldn't try that on my best day with a _hundred_ helpers!" She laughed. "No, no, no, the whatsit… Geeze, try to give me a heart attack why don't you?" She put my cloak on my back while I sighed. "So, you figure I can help her somehow?" She nodded as I did the clasp up after adjusting my wings slightly. "How?"

"I don't know." She said. "Just, do what you can. Be, an Ace." I sighed and turned, grabbing my book and putting it in my pack.

"Fine." I said. "You won't stop bothering me until I do it. So be it." She laughed. "You owe me."

"Name it." She said.

"Next time you think to ask me to show off in the air, just let it go." I said. She smiled.

"Oh, fine." She said, laughing. "Just go help her. She said it's a lot of work for the next few days." I stopped and looked at her. "When I get the thought to ask you, I'll let go of it until you're done helping her." I turned and walked out of the tent, but I grabbed another book. "Supernaturals again?"

"It would have helped us then." I said. "I won't be caught off guard from now on. This book, it stays by me no matter what."


	13. Helping Friends All Around

**Another Friday that nearly got by me. I need to start remembering that it's Friday when it's Friday. I'm not a morning person, but that's when I wake up. And tomorrow is the ninth, with a new episode. Don't let me forget. *Peewee, the highly epic miniature Demon Kiwi, salutes with his foot and squeaks twice***

**For now, chapter thirteen. I'm glad it's doing reasonably well. And I'm hoping for more reviews, and maybe an OC or two. That said, I'm up in the twenties in store chapters, so after I'm done with twenty six, I'm going to work on Digital Sheriff for a bit, then Changing Tides. They deserve a little time.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Thank you, and have a nice day. *Peewee waves with his foot while squeaking*  
…**

I lowered the needle as she clipped the thread, sighing heavily. Over the course of a few days, the other girls had come by and made many suggestions, making the outfits different from how they had started out. Despite our work the first time, which yielded beautiful dresses, they now looked nothing like the originals. She had somehow pulled me into the fashion show, with a suit that worked very well with the cloak. I gave in because she didn't believe in the dresses she had made, if only because of how far they had gone from how good they looked the first time.

"I'm positively _dreading_ the show…" She said after a few minutes. I looked at each dress in turn, and I lowered my head.

"Well, as many issues as I have, I think, my suit is going to be the, standout hit." I said tiredly. I still didn't want to be in the show, but Sky would never leave me alone about it if she found out. Knowing her as well as I do, she'd find out an hour before the show and somehow manage to crowbar me in. "At least there, will be that."

"Yes, but the rest…" She said quietly. "I'm just not sure where you should be in the lineup. First, so that they see that I at least start strong, or last, so they know that I have, some redeeming skills."

"To be honest, I don't know if it would make a difference." I said. "All I know for sure is, that I wish I could tell the others to let you change them back, because they were perfect as they were."

"Thank you, but…" She said. "I just want the girls to be happy. I want the dresses, to be perfect, for them." I looked at the dresses. "At least, one part of the show will go over well… I, want you to go first, so I'll know at least everypony will see I can make _one_ outfit that looks nice." After a moment I looked at the suit. It was black with silver silk threaded borders, simple and comfortable. I would wear my Shades O'Gray mask with it, mostly to feel confident, though she was making a new one to go with it, if just to ease her nerves. "Truly, thank you."

"When Sky asked me to help you, I wondered what I could do…" I said. "At this point, I don't think I could convince the others that the original versions were perfect as they were."

"Perhaps Fluttershy, but, not the others." She said. "You needn't worry. I'm sure… I hope that everything will go over well, and this will be forgotten soon." I sighed quietly.

"About, the show…" I said. She seemed worried. "It's, probably best I go first. Horatio set up the schedule, and, I'm on pretty much at the end of the fashion show, so, going first, I should have just enough time to change out of the suit, fly back to the circus, and not get spotted." She sighed.

"Well, if you must." She said quietly.

"I wish I could stay, but, he's my boss." I said. "I don't know if I could change his mind to give me a little longer… Especially, because it was the hat you made him that let Sky buy her dress. I wouldn't want to try to get special favors… He really likes that hat, too."

"I understand." She said. "I just, truly hope everything will be okay."

"So do I." I said. I looked at my stitching for a moment.

"Is something wrong?" She asked. She walked over and looked it over.

"I'm just making sure it'll hold." I said.

"These are perfect." She said quietly. "If they're anything like the ones that held your old cloak together, believe me, these are there _for life_." I laughed quietly. "Now, if you will excuse me, I must get some rest… After, I finish Twilight's dress."

"I'll do it." I said. "Don't worry." She looked at me. "I promise, I won't deviate from the design… I want to, but, I won't." She laughed.

"Thank you." She said. "I wonder, if perhaps you could use my element, were it needed again." I laughed quietly. "Or perhaps Fluttershy's." She walked toward the stairs to her room. "Good luck with your show tonight, if we don't see each other later."

"Good night, if we don't see each other later." I said. She laughed as she walked up the stairs. When she was out of sight, I looked at the picture and a needle floated over and quickly began stitching where she'd diagramed. After a few moments, my head started hurting, little by little, so I put the needle down. I waited for a few minutes before using a pair of scissors to cut the thread, the thread itself tying by my magic. 'I should get going, but… I can do this.' As I continued the slow methodical use of magic to finish the dress, I kept focusing, mostly just to keep busy. But just seconds after I finished, the boutique door opened and I turned to see who it was. It was Applejack. "Hi." She laughed.

"You're just everywhere these days, aren't ya?" She asked. I laughed.

"Well, I was just leaving." I said. "Rarity's getting some rest. From what I've seen, she's been up all night."

"Oh." She said, somewhat surprised. "I was just, comin' by to make sure she wasn't goin' to any trouble."

"She said it wasn't." I said quietly. "Though, I've got to be honest, I don't know…"

"You don't know, what?" She asked.

"Well, these dresses…" I said. "I know I'm a guy, but, I don't like them."

"Well, that's your opinion…" She said. "No offense."

"Rarity thinks as I do…" I said softly. "We're both thinking, the originals were better…"

"Well, again, no offense, I think you're wrong." She said. "I think they look perfect." I knew who I was up against, so I sighed, my sign of defeat.

"Well, tomorrow night, we'll see." I said resignedly. "But my suit is, perfect for me. I know it's exactly what I want. Rarity knows what she's doing the first time around, with my suit at least… She is adding a mask, but that's because of… Well, my, issue with, being in the spotlight, and not being on a wire two hundred feet above the ground."

"Everyone has a different sense of taste." She said. "Don't worry, it's gonna go _perfectly_, especially when I hit the stage. Just you wait."

"About that, Horatio's scheduling issues strike again." I said. "Rarity has me going first, and immediately after that I have to go."

"Why?" She asked.

"Horatio wants me on earlier than usual." I said. "So, I have to leave and _fly_… That should tell you how tight the deadline is thanks to Horatio Cloudrunner's infamous sense of time." She walked in a little. "Just don't fuss with the dresses after I leave, unless you leave a note explaining what you did. I don't want Rarity to be mad at me after half an hour of hard work finishing Twilight's dress." She laughed.

"Okay." She said. "See ya'll later then." I nodded and she walked in, while I walked out beside her, closing the door with my magic when I knew she wasn't looking. I went toward the grounds when I heard a whistle. I looked to see Pinkie waving me over, so I turned and walked toward her.

"What's up?" I asked. She giggled.

"The sky." She said. "Not your friend, but, you know what I mean." I nodded, smiling a little. "Here." She held out a cupcake. "New recipe. I made it kind of like a churro." I slowly took it, sniffed it, and took a bite out of it. As I chewed it, she smiled brightly, and I looked at it. It was delicious. Better than a churro, but also better than a cupcake, while managing to be both at the same time. I swallowed it and she seemed like she was ready to fly off like a bottle rocket. "Well, how is it?"

"Best churrocake I've ever had." I said. She gasped quietly.

"You're a genius!" She said. "That's what I'll call it!" She hugged me and I seized slightly, but managed not to drop the churro-cupcake. "Thank you!"

"No problem." I said. She stepped back and laughed.

"So, how do the dresses look?" She asked happily. I went to speak when I thought about her.

"Well, it's, exactly what you asked for." I said. "I'd have left it as it was, but, it's your dress."

"Why would you have left it like it was?" She asked.

"Well, I think it was perfect that way." I said. "Rarity thought so, too. But, she just wants you and the others to be happy. And, seeing as she actually paid me for helping her…"

"She's paying you?" She asked.

"Well, I told her I just wanted to help, I tried to tell her she didn't need to pay me…" I said. "But she just, gave me this look that begged me to accept a little money for my trouble, so… I'm going back in a couple of days with the money she gave me so I can, buy a hat… I don't own one, and I have some extra money, so, uh, might as well put it to a good cause." She giggled.

"Well, that's cool." She said. I nodded and took another bite of the cupcake. "So, do you think the show will be a hit?" I shrugged as I swallowed.

"No clue." I said honestly. "I, am fairly confident that, my suit should, go over well… And just tell Sky I said that and she'll tell you what a big deal it is that I _did_ say it." She giggled.

"Yeah, I guess." She said. "I'm just glad you're able to walk around a little without hiding in the shadows like you did the past few chapters." I put the cupcake in my mouth, mostly so I didn't have to respond, but I nodded. "Oh, and if you want to help, I need something delivered to Fluttershy… Well, it's for Angel, but it's her house… So would that be something delivered to Angel at Fluttershy's house, or to Fluttershy for Angel, who lives at her house…"

'Well, here's a familiar journey.' I thought. She went over the thought for a few minutes before stopping.

"Uh, where was I?" She asked.

"You need something delivered to Fluttershy's house." I said. "It's for Angel, but it's to be delivered to Fluttershy because she can give it to Angel since he probably can't open the package on his own." She nodded. "Yeah, I have some time I can spare." She suddenly disappeared, leaving a pink trail, but faster than she vanished, she reappeared and put a box on my back, tying it down before I could respond. "Pinkie, just to say this, I may never understand how you move that fast." She giggled. "Well, I guess I'm off then." I went to turn, but I checked the package, the knot tied at the side in, a bow. "Is that a double knot?"

"Nope, single." She said. "Why?"

"Oh, just, I use double slipknots for my act." I said. "Sometimes I'll tie down my wings to add another element of danger while Sky waits off to the side."

"Wow, for all that fear of showing off your wings, you're _scary_ brave…" She said. "Which is kind of a misnomer, I think."

"I'm so brave, it's unnerving?" I suggested.

"Yeah, that makes more sense." She said. "By the way, this is your payment for the churrocake." I nodded with a smile.

"Consider it delivered." I said. "Though, as fast as you can move…" She laughed with me before going in. "See you later."

"Bye." She said. I started walking, sighing quietly.

'Apple bucking, sewing, delivering stuff…' I thought. 'Runway model for a night… Why is it that these girls, can put me so at ease, that I do this kind of stuff?' I went up the road calmly, not paying much attention to anything. 'I mean, here I am, in broad daylight, I'm not trying to avoid attention, and I'm delivering something to pay for a, very delicious snack I named…' I licked some cinnamon-sugar off of my lips. 'Well, it's worth it. She did make a great new snack… Add in some berries and I bet she could make it into one of the best snacks in all of Equestria.' I saw the tree, but I saw her mane and tail in the back, so I took the turn and made my way to the fence. When she spotted me, she walked up to the gate. "Hi. I was on my way to the circus when Pinkie called me over, had me try a cupcake, and, asked me to deliver this as payment for it." She looked at the package as I turned slightly.

"Oh no, she tied your wings off." She said. I laughed quietly.

"No, she didn't." I said. "They're forward of the wing joints." I turned to her again. "So, where should I put it?"

"Um, anywhere is fine." She said. "The door is unlocked… It's for Angel, so, he'll probably ask you to open it." I nodded as she opened the gate. "Thank you _so_ much for doing this. I know you must be busy, helping Rarity and Pinkie Pie, working on your act, and in a few weeks you'll be helping with the apple bucking…"

"Well…" I said quietly. "If I wasn't helping everypony in Equestria, Sky would bother me until I started." She laughed quietly as I walked in. "And before you suggest paying me for this, please, I'm okay. Rarity paid me, and she's getting that back when I go in, in a couple of days to, buy a hat… I'm thinking, something small so I can still draw the hood of my cloak." She smiled a little as I looked around and spotted Angel sitting at the table, looking over at me. I walked up and he hopped over, undoing the knot. I set the box down and opened it, causing it to fall apart, revealing a fairly small cake. "A cake?"

"It's a carrot cake." Fluttershy said. I looked over as she looked in. "A triple carrot cake. I'm not sure what makes it triple, but, Angel loves them." I nodded as I looked to see Angel pulling a large hunk away and quickly going to work on it. I leaned down and picked up the string, putting it in my pack while turning. "Thank you again for bringing it over. I just didn't have time to go pick it up, at least, not for a few more hours."

"Don't mention it." I said. "I've got a lot of free time. I figured, I'll either be reading alone or practicing a few things from the books, but doing something useful with my spare time is more, well, useful." She laughed quietly. "Oh, your dress is done, while I'm here. I, finished the hem, mostly."

"Thank you…" She said. "Does it, look nice?" Unlike Applejack or Pinkie, I didn't so much have to find words to overcome stubbornness. I had to find words that wouldn't sound like I was trying to hurt her feelings. We had only spoken a few times, but according to her friends, she had taken a liking to me more than she would most others, given that she actually spoke without whispering, which is how she would usually speak to most ponies she met for at least a few days. "I hope I didn't ask for too much."

"Well, it does look nice…" I said. "I'm, hardly an expert when it comes to, fashion in general. I mean…" I looked at my cloak. "I walk around in a cloak, every day." As I looked back, she nodded slowly. "If you like it, that's the most important part, right?"

"Yes…" She said. "But, sometimes I wonder, if I might have asked for _too much_… I did ask for a lot of changes." She looked down slightly. "And, you did, help her." After a moment I moved my hoof.

"Well, there is a lot going on, if, one were to ask me…" I said. "That, is kind of how it is, with all of the other dresses as well…"

"So, it is too much…" She said quietly.

"For one dress…" I said. "I think, with all of the ideas you had, Rarity could make, maybe three, each as good as the original. Maybe, you could suggest that." She smiled a little and I nodded. "Yeah, three very lovely dresses, all because you had a lot of good ideas." She laughed shyly.

"I don't know about that." She said quietly, looking away.

"Well, having seen it up close, I do." I said. She smiled a little more. "If you want, I can head back and see about changing it back, after taking some photos to inspire the other two."

"Oh, no, that's not necessary." She said. "You don't have to go to any trouble on my account."

"It's no trouble at all." I said. "For me, it's a step toward mastering a new skill." She seemed nervous, so I moved a little. "Honestly, it's no trouble. A ticket to the carnival is five bits, a good seat to the whole of the Big Top's acts is ten. A favor for a friend, a smile." She looked away slightly, but smiled. "I'll let Horatio know I'll be working a little late. But if you need anything, just look for Sky, and she'll find me. If there's one thing you can count on, she knows where I am… Like a hawk watching her eggs."

"Thank you." She said. "But, please, don't go to any trouble. If Horatio asks you to do something, I don't want you to get into trouble because of me." I looked at her. "Please…" I sighed quietly.

"You drive a hard bargain." I said. "If he asks me to do any work…"

"Don't try to get out of it for me." She said. I could really feel worry in her voice, so I nodded.

"Okay." I said. "If he says I have to do something, I'll just say I'll try to make time later."

"Thank you." She said. I nodded.

"Anything for a friend." I said quietly. I walked past her as she watched Angel, and I looked back as he ate the last of the cake.

"Angel, you shouldn't have eaten all of that in one sitting." She said. "You'll get a tummy ache." The little rabbit settled on his back, groaning quietly with one paw on his stomach. I walked out and looked toward the circus, and then at the skies for a few moments, scanning around, and I looked at Fluttershy as she walked away with Angel on her back.

'I guess I can hurry, to get all the time I can.' I thought. I looked ahead and took off fairly fast, jumping high and flapping hard to get as high as possible, right into the clouds. As I went low for a few seconds, I glided around to the back, landing in a clearing just short of my tent. Walking in, I saw Horatio talking to somepony, so I went around and bumped into someone. "Sorry, sorry, I wasn't paying attention…"

"No, it's my fault…" Twilight said. I looked as she looked at me. "Oh, I was looking for you. I thought you'd be here…" I shook my head and pointed toward Carousel Boutique.

"I was helping Rarity with the dresses, for the show…" I said. "She, somehow managed to fit me into the lineup, and into a suit… How that happened I'm still, not entirely sure." She laughed.

"Well, that's her element." She said. "Generosity." I nodded. "I hope she isn't working too hard."

"Well, she, did pull an all-nighter…" I said. "But, I was able to help her get done a little faster."

"Done?" She asked. "She said she'd be done with mine tomorrow at the earliest." I rubbed the back of my head.

"She was almost done, ahead of her own schedule, but, I convinced her to get some rest." I said. "I, finished the last of the stitching, a, little early."

"Wow…" She said. "Well, that's great news, though I did have a new idea."

"I, think there's enough going on with that dress as it is…" I said. "You know what they say about too much of a good thing, right?" She laughed and nodded. "Maybe a second dress, for the new ideas. That way, you can start fresh and, make it simpler… Rarity said that's coming into fashion. And, I don't know about you, but I think she knows a thing or two about the subject." She smiled.

"Yeah, she's certainly in the loop, before it even loops." She said. I nodded.

"Yeah…" I said. "You know, that must be why this cloak is so simple." I looked at it. "She's ahead of the curve, probably trying to set it, and I guess, she decided to have me help her out with this." She laughed quietly.

"Well, the reason I'm here, is about the Gala…" She said. "I, asked for, Princess Celestia, to give me an extra ticket, to give to you." I sighed. "Rarity told me about the suit, Sky said you didn't have a ticket…" A gold ticket floated out in front of me. "You're our friend, and, we've known you about as long as we've known each other, so, we wanted you to come with us." I looked at it for a moment. "It'd mean a lot to all of us. Especially Sky."

"She strikes again." I said quietly. "Even if it's through a new friend." She seemed like she was about to give up, but I took the ticket and put it in my bag. When I looked at her, she was smiling. "Thank you. From anypony else, I'd probably be, reluctant, if I didn't refuse it right away… I need to, overcome my problem with crowds. This, will go a long way…" I sighed and looked toward the Big Top. "Sky will _never_ let me live this down… But that's why we're friends now. If she didn't push me now and then, I'd have two friends in the whole world."


	14. A Fashion Show and a Friend's Promise

**I'm not posting late today, and it's been a few weeks. But this chapter should hopefully fit in, but I've once more put a lot on my plate to deal with. Luckily I planned ahead and prepared a lot of chapters in advance. So, without further ado, here we go.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. But I'm waiting eagerly for season 4 to see how things turned out after that somewhat rushed season 3 finale.  
…**

"Come on, Ace, big night." Sky said. I sighed as the crowd gathered at the front. Rarity was close to having a panic attack, and just my luck, Horatio needed me to do a lot, so I couldn't even try to work on Fluttershy's dress, and I couldn't even have Sky or Specs get a message to Rarity. "You can do this. It's no different than walking on the rope. Your wings are under the suit _and_ the cloak, you have a mask, and your mane is _perfect_." I nodded shakily, fighting the full body quake I would have had a month earlier. "You've got this. Come on, say it with me."

"I've got this." I said. She nodded. "I've got this…" I sighed. "I've got, to get on the tightrope in less than twenty minutes." She laughed. "Go, I've got this. I can do this." She turned.

"Good luck, Shades." She said. I nodded as she flew away, and after looking around, I made the mask float onto my face and stick. This one was lighter gray with thin streaks of silver made to look like it was coming out, shining through, and the eyes had sunglasses built in, mirrored, to let me see out but so that they couldn't see in.

"Ace, you're on in two minutes." Rarity said. I looked over at her. "You look amazing. Thank you _so much_ for doing this." I smiled behind the mask. I really did feel different with a mask on, like a superhero, and Ace Stormrider was just my alter ego.

"For a friend, I'll deal with my issues." I said, somewhat confidently. She smiled. "Besides… A good suit like this is just asking for an audience to appreciate it." She laughed before sighing.

"I just wish I could have gotten Fluttershy's message…" She said. "But she's still happy with, what she has." I turned a little more and she stepped aside. "Good luck." I raised my head slightly.

"Shades O'Gray doesn't need luck." I said dramatically. She laughed.

"A superhero, are we?" She asked. I started walking. I tuned out all of the noise and treated it like my act. "Good luck." I walked out onto the stage to cheers, and as I made my way down, I took a few looks around, acting dramatic. When I got to Hoity Toity, I saw him looking at the cloak.

"Simple, wonderful use of contrasting colors…" He said. "It's positively _astounding_. So simple, yet so complex, it boggles the mind. Look at it once, and then away, and looking back is like seeing it for the first time all over again, no matter how many times I look away!" I smiled a little as I went to walk back while Twilight started walking on. When I passed her, her eyes turned to me, and I knew she was happy that I was there. But immediately after I got to the back, Rarity looked at me.

"Well?" She asked hopefully.

"He said it's simple, the contrasting colors worked well…" I said. "Look at it, then away, and then back, it's like seeing it for the first time all over again." She sighed.

"What a relief…" She said. "You should hurry though." I nodded.

"Good luck." I said. She laughed quietly as I walked toward the changing area, but she moved the divider.

"Show it off." She said. "It may be, my last success…" I looked at her as I walked away.

"You'll do better than this, Rarity." I said. "I know you well enough to say that next time we roll into town, you'll make something that makes this suit look out of style." She smiled a little as I turned my head and walked out. Looking around for a few moments, I moved my wings out from the slits in the back of the suit and took off, low at first, but I pulled up. I saw the lights against the tent and one focused on the entrance. I flew toward it and went right in, landing as the crowd cheered, and hiding my wings just as I went to land, confident they hadn't seen me. Looking down, I saw Sky cheering with them. 'Showtime… And back as Shades O'Gray.'

"Fillies and gentlecolts!" Horatio called. "Let's hear it one more time for Shades O'Gray!" The crowd cheered again as I stood up, holding my front legs out. "He might be a little overdressed tonight, for what he's doing, but he just came from the fashion show held by Ponyville's local hero of beauty, Miss Rarity!" The crowd cheered again. "It might be hard to see, but it's a sleek and slick black suit with silver embroidered borders, silvery buttons, and his cloak was made a few weeks in advance! And his new mask is as stylish as ever, giving him anonymity, and a new look! What do you have in store for us tonight?" I smirked and decided to be a little bolder than usual. I walked along the rope for a second before spinning on one hoof and switching while still in rotation. I repeated that three times and the crowd cheered. "No net, and he's _spinning_! Well done, but can you top that?" I laughed quietly and spun, and jumped. I landed somewhat awkwardly, so I just went to walking backward for a few steps. "Risky Shades, very risky!" There was some laughter, so I looked down just as a light swung by, and I saw him cover his eyes. "Whoa, star power, good ponies, star power! Clearly his fashionable mask, has some power of its own!" They laughed again and I moved so that I faced forward, and I lowered to all four hooves before moving onto only my front hooves. "Oh, my, Celestia, he's going to finish on his front hooves! He's _never_ done anything _remotely_ like this! They say it can't be done! Don't tempt fate, my boy!" I walked calmly, the cloak slipping slightly, but not much thanks to the suit, which had a small hook that held it in place. As I got near the end, the crowd was silent as the drummer kept a steady rapid beat. When I settled onto all fours, he hit the cymbal and the crowd roared as I looked around, smiling like a fool. "Oh, my, goodness, you did it! He did it, everypony! He walked on his front hooves along the wire, never once slipping or stepping wrong, and his _cloak didn't even move_! If that's not showing guts, then _throw out the book on it!_"  
…

"Ace, I can't believe you did that." Sky said. "That was way more daring than _anything_ you've done before."

"Well, there's, a little hook on the back." I said. "That held the cloak in place… It was, for the fashion show."

"A-about that." She said. "I know you went to bed right after, but, I checked in, and… It was a disaster after you left. Apparently, Rarity won't come out of the boutique, and she won't let anyone in." I looked at her. "She's too ashamed to show her face… I don't know what to do…"

"Maybe…" I started. "Well, coming from me, it won't hold any weight at all. I was just a step above a shut-in for a long time." She was silent. "I can try though. I'll, think of something."

"Well, you could always use the excuse that you want to give her the suit back." She said. "So you don't get any dirt on it." I nodded slowly.

"Yeah…" I said. "I guess I'll go by in a little while. I just need to get a few things."

"Okay." She said. "And _I_ have to go check on a few of the stalls, and make sure Stratus is ready for tonight. We've got a new routine, but, it's going to cut into yours, so dad thinks you should have the night off, to help Rarity since he couldn't let you help her yesterday." I nodded.

"Okay." I said. "Tell Stratus he needs to pull a slightly looser turn, or he'll just sprain his wing again." She laughed.

"How did you know it was a sprained wing?" She asked.

"I saw him trying to take off, and he couldn't move his left wing properly." I said. "Should be okay if you get him to stop trying to force it to heal for a few more hours." She sighed.

"For a pony that barely knows anypony, you know a lot about everypony." She said. I laughed.

"I know a little about a few ponies from what I see." I said. "And if I didn't, your act wouldn't go over well." She walked out.

"Sometimes, Ace, you're a puzzle." She said. "See you later."

"Yup." I said. I grabbed a few books before turning. As I walked out, I looked toward the boutique. "I hope I can help… But I hope more that I don't make it worse." I walked off of the grounds while the others set up for the day. As I got close, I saw the girls walking back, and Twilight walked over. "She's still not coming out?"

"No, but we have a plan." She said. "There's one dress she didn't finish, so, we're going to try to do it for her. I got it out, so now we just have to get it to Fluttershy's house. She knows a lot about sewing." I nodded for a second. "Are you going to try to talk to her?"

"At the very least, I'm going to try something." I said. "I'll stop if she starts, trying to turtle up." She nodded.

"Well, I hope it works." She said. "We're really worried about her."

"Me too…" I said. "If you, need any help…"

"I know." She said. "You did a great job on my dress, by the way. I know it, was too much, but, I couldn't tell where Rarity's work ended and yours began." I smiled as she turned. "If you can't get her to come out, you know where we'll be." I nodded as she started walking, so I went to the door. I knocked lightly.

"Go away." She said. "Please, I want to be alone." I was silent. "I'm sorry Twilight, I just, need some time."

"I'm, here to, return the suit, until later." I said.

"Ace?" She asked.

"This is a great suit, but, Twilight gave me, an extra ticket to the Gala." I said. "So, I have a dirty job at times, and I want this suit to stay as clean as possible until the big night… Where better than here?" She was silent. "I just, want to be sure I can go and not look like I ran the whole way on a dirt road behind the carriages." The door slowly opened, and I walked in. She was wearing a robe, and she looked like she wasn't taking as much pride in her appearance.

"I can't go." She said. "Not after what happened. You were right. Your suit was the only one that they liked. I'm, a laughingstock."

No, you're not." I said. "You're still the best." She looked away as I walked over to the divider that slid open.

"Thank you, but, there's no changing that I should have just left the dresses alone." She said. "It's no excuse that I was giving into pressure from the others. I could have just, not done what they asked…"

"It's not in your nature." I said. I removed the suit and put it on a mannequin, adjusting my cloak as I pulled it back on, and I set he mask away as well. As I stepped out, she was walking away. "Rarity… If you need anything, just let me know. Even if you just want to talk… You have seven good friends who are worried about you." She looked at me. "I might not always be here, but you'll always have the others… I, really hope to see you, at the gala. It just wouldn't feel completely right without the best dressed Unicorn in Equestria." She smiled a little, but it faded. "If you need me, I'm helping Fluttershy with some things."

"Thank you." She said quietly. She walked up the stairs and I walked out, closing the door, and it locked.  
…

I made a quiet sound and Opalescence jumped onto the sill, and then onto my saddle. He sat down as I walked over to the tree as quietly as I could manage. It had taken the better part of the day, but we'd finished the dress. I had to get back to the circus, but I had time to help set things up.

"Thanks for helpin' us." Applejack said. "We sure are askin' a lot of ya lately."

"What are friends for?" I asked. "Like I told Rarity, the gala wouldn't feel right without her there." They laughed as I walked over to the tree, and Opalescence jumped onto Fluttershy's saddle as she flew up to a branch. "I just wish I didn't have to head back. I don't have a clue what Sky needs to see me for so badly…"

"Whatever it is, she seemed pretty worried." Rainbow Dash said. "I hope she's okay."

"Knowing her, she might have caught her dress on something." I said. "She may act like a stallion, but she's got her girly moments." They laughed quietly as Fluttershy set back down.

"Ready." She said.

"We'll let you know how it turns out." Twilight said.

"Good luck." Pinkie said. "Tell her I said hi." I nodded.

"Good luck with this as well." I said. I turned and walked quickly toward the circus, but Sky wanted to meet me in our flight clearing. As soon as I got to the gate, I saw her moving quickly, so I started running. 'What are you up to, Sky?' As I got to the clearing, she was standing by the log with the branch I'd used as a cloak rack. "Hey."

"Ace, I, uh, really need to get this off my chest." She said. "Dad keeps pressuring me to use my plus one to bring a date to the gala, and, he won't let up… Since, you have that ticket, I don't have to use that plus one… But it wouldn't feel right, asking you to go with me. I mean, you're great an all, but you're, too much like a brother to me."

"I don't think I'd do much better, going with my sister as her date." I said. She laughed quietly.

"That's, what I mean." She said. "We're better friends than anything else… Family, almost." I nodded as she sat down, so I walked over and sat near her. "I just, I can't find a date. It's like, every time I try to find some colt to ask out, I lock up… I, I can't do it." I was quiet for a moment. "G-go ahead, laugh."

"I'm not going to laugh." I said. "I'm just, you're the most outgoing pony I know… Apart from Pinkie Pie. But you, Sky, are always trying to help me just to leave, which is bordering on pushy these days if I'm being honest." She laughed quietly. "Of all of the ponies I know, you should have zero issues finding a date."

"Well, I, can't." She said. "I just, keep trying, and when I want to go talk, I just shy away. It, freaks me out. Remember how hard you shake?"

"Yes, the bitter refrain my wings keep singing." I said dryly. She laughed quietly. "My guess, I'll get some cheesecake, and…"

"Ace…" She said quietly.

"Well, what do you want from me?" I asked tiredly. "Just think about who you're asking. You could have asked anypony else, but you decided to ask me, the one pony you could ask, but neither of us would be comfortable with it." She lowered her head.

"I just, don't want to disappoint my dad." She said. I moved my hoof and put it on her shoulder.

"You won't." I said. "Tell him, and let him know that you're trying and having trouble. He'll understand… If he doesn't, I guess it'll be the one time I'll yell at him." She laughed as I set my hoof down. "Honestly, I'm no good at this."

"Well, there's another thing." She said. "Specs needs a date, and she says she doesn't want to bother you…"

"Sky…" I said.

"So, she's going to find somepony in town." She said. "There's a plus one on that ticket as well… What about, yours?"

"No, just a plain old 'admit one'." I said. She sighed.

"Well, I guess we need some kind of idea." She said. "I just, don't know why I can't get the, stupid words out." I was silent. "Sorry, for bothering you with this."

"Hey, you're my sister." I said. She laughed. "Helping is what brothers do." She sighed quietly.

"I'll think of something." She said. "Eventually."

"How about I tell him how much trouble you're going through?" I suggested. "Maybe he'll have an idea."

"Thanks." She said quietly. "I don't know if I can tell him." I stood up. "Hard to believe, after all the grief I've put you through, and I tried to ask you how to get a date."

"Well, being this handsome, it's easy to think…" I started. She swatted me with her wing, causing us both to laugh.

"Cool it, Casanova." She said. We both started walking. "Thanks."

"Don't worry, I'll talk to dad about this." I said. She laughed quietly as we walked toward the camp. As we got in, I saw Horatio near my tent, and as I went to look, she had disappeared. "Sky?" I looked around, and then up, to see her flying toward the main tent. "And she says I can make an exit." I walked to my tent as Horatio looked. "Hey boss, what's up?"

"I've heard about your ticket to the Gala, and I had an idea." He said. "Sky is, honestly, your best friend, and even if it might be awkward…" I held my hoof up.

"Uh, we actually, had that talk, Sky and me…" I said. He seemed surprised. "She said, she's having trouble, finding a date. She tries to ask, and she locks up… It's like part of me is there in her mind saying 'just don't do it'."

"She never said a word…" He said. "Seriously?" I nodded. "That, isn't good, but, you could…" I shook my head. "And, why not?"

"She's like a sister to me." I said. "You're right, it would be awkward, too much for either of us to handle alone, let alone together. She actually, wanted advice from me. Shows how worried and desperate she is." He sighed tiredly.

"And I tried so hard to find nice young stallions…" He said quietly. "But, that just means she'll go alone… Maybe, she'll find somepony at the gala."

"Maybe, maybe not." I said. "But she didn't think you'd understand if she told you. Hence why I'm the messenger."

"So, what do we do to help her?" He asked. I shrugged.

"You're asking me?" I asked. "Seriously? I've never been on a date in my life… Up until a few weeks ago, I left the grounds once every few months to go get books and things I needed. I'm hardly the pony to ask." He was quiet for a moment.

"Maybe, if she wasn't alone, in seeking a date." He said musingly.

"Horatio, no." I said quickly. "I know that look on your face and I know that tone. No."

"Ace, it'll be much easier on her…" He started.

"Specs is looking for a date as well." I said. "Girls night out, whatever you call it…"

"You're like a brother to her." He said.


	15. Dating plans and old memories

**It's been a few weeks and I missed last week, but here we are again. Enjoy, I've got work to do re-writing a few of the chapters ahead of this one.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to My Little Pony, and I'm patiently waiting for season four. I've got my fingers crossed for a good one.  
…**

"Ace, we need a plan." Sky said. I was silent as Specs sat down. "I can't _believe_ my dad did that. Giving up his plus one so _you_ could bring a date."

"Against my wishes, no less." I said. He had told me that since Sky saw me as a brother, he saw me as a son, so he wanted his son to go find a date to help his sister find the courage to find one as well.

"What's your plan?" Specs asked.

"Try and fail repeatedly." I said. "Same as Sky's current track record." She swatted my shoulder with her wing. "Seriously, I lock up at the best of times… A date… I'll be a mess."

"I have an idea." Specs said suddenly. We looked at her. "Twilight mentioned being chased a few nights ago because she had an extra ticket… So, the ponies here _really_ want to go to the Gala. If they knew you had a plus one, and we asked them to keep it civil…"

"Well…" Sky said. "It might work. I mean, dad didn't say we had to do it, because we really liked somepony. Right?"

"Good luck." I said. "We have, how long left?"

"About, two months." Specs said. "And Apple Bucking in two weeks." I put my hoof to my face.

"There's no way I can do it, so leave me out of it for now." I said. "I, I'll find some way to do this on my own… I can't just… I can't. I'll lock up and shake so hard, Princess Celestia won't be able to stop it." They were silent. "If I can't find a date, you can give up, Sky." They laughed and I stood up. "For now, I'll go see if the girls have, managed to get Rarity outside."

"See you later." They said. I walked out toward the boutique, and the girls were stepping out already, laughing. When I got close, they spotted me.

"Hey, Ace, you missed a great show!" Pinkie called.

"Oh?" I asked.

"Yes, you all did a _wonderful_ job with my dress, and Hoity Toity gave me a second chance." Rarity said. "You should have been here, Ace. It was truly astounding." I smiled.

"I'm glad it all worked out." I said.

"With all of your help, I feel like a new Unicorn." She said. The others smiled.

"We're just glad you're back to normal." Rainbow Dash said. "I'm Sure Ace told you, but we were starting to worry."

"Speaking of worrying, Ace, didn't you say Sky needed you?" Twilight asked.

"Was it the dress?" Rarity asked, somewhat worriedly.

"No, thankfully it wasn't." I said. "Horatio wanted her to get a date for the gala, and she's been nervous about it, and had me tell him about it. For all of an hour, we switched roles. She hid, and I dealt with her father." They laughed. "Needless to say, he wants me to help her, Specs had an idea, and it's all one big muddled _mess_." I sighed. "Well, hopefully we'll be able to fix it all in time for the gala… Why things keep involving me is just, confusing at this point."

"Probably because of the writer." Pinkie said. "He keeps thinking this stuff up, after all." We all looked at her before I shrugged.

"Sounds plausible to me." I said.

"Well, I'm glad it wasn't the dress." Rarity said. "Or Specs' dress. They both came out perfectly." I nodded.

"I thought Sky just bought the one." I said.

"Oh no, she bought Specs a dress as a gift." She said. "The two work quite well together." I nodded as Applejack gestured toward Sugarcube Corner.

"Well, we're gonna celebrate a successful show." She said. "Since you helped so much, you're invited." I smiled.

"Sounds good to me." I said. They laughed as we started walking. "So long as, it's not too big. If it is… You'll, find me outside." Twilight looked at me.

"Why?" She asked. I lowered my head a little.

"Well, it's just…" I said. "I still have my confidence problems. I know all of you, or, I'm starting to, but, where there's a crowd and I don't have some distance… Trust me, I lock up." Pinkie hopped over beside me and put one hoof around my shoulders, still hopping.

"Don't worry, it's just the seven of us." She said. I smiled. "Oh, and Mr. and Mrs. Cake. I planned ahead for this." She hopped ahead and went into the bakery, and I waited for the girls as I drew my hood.

"Ace, why are you doing that?" Rainbow Dash asked. "It's not gonna rain indoors." She walked in and a bucket of confetti was overturned on her, and I followed through it as she let out a yelp. "What the heck?" Pinkie laughed as Rainbow shook her whole body. "Pinkie, this'll be in my hair for _hours_!"

"But not Ace's." Pinkie said. "Looks like he thought ahead too… But how did you know?" She and Rainbow looked at me as the others laughed.

"Call it, a sixth sense." I said. "I just had a feeling that I was going to want my hood up." I shifted a few times and the confetti fell off of me. "Did the bucket get stuck?"

"No, I just waited for Fluttershy." She said. "I didn't want to spook her." Fluttershy lowered her head, but smiled a little as I lowered the hood.

"Well, from now on, Fluttershy, could you go in later?" Rainbow asked. "So I can avoid all this, confetti?" The others laughed as Pinkie stepped aside, gesturing to a long table covered in snacks, including churro cupcakes.

"Well, let's get to celebrating!" She said happily. "We worked hard on all of this." They all walked over as I made my way to the punch bowl, grabbing an already filled cup. I drank a third of it before going to the cupcakes and grabbing two.

"Whoa, these are great." Twilight said. "It's like, a churro, _and_ a cupcake."

"Churrocakes!" Pinkie said giddily. "I got the idea from eating a churro, and when I got home that night I saw the cupcake, so I got the recipes for both and worked on them until I came up with these." She giggled. "It took like, five chapters." I laughed quietly as I took a bite of one. "Ace likes 'em." I swallowed and looked at her.

"I told Horatio about these, so, I might take one back to him, if you don't mind." I said. She nodded.

"Sure." She said.

"Ace, I just, had a thought." Twilight said. I looked at her. "Rarity said that you weren't too fast when you were helping her, and though you were fast compared to most of us, it took you and Fluttershy, _and_ me, to finish the dress quickly, with you and Fluttershy working on the sides while I worked on the frock."

"And Rarity said I came in about half an hour after she went to bed." Applejack said. "You had Twilight's dress done just as I got in. Rarity said it would have been at least three hours just usin' your mouth and hooves. How'd ya do it so quick?"

"Trade secret." I said. "Just, something my mother taught me, so I can't exactly say anything." They laughed quietly. "Honestly, I think I was so fast because there was a book I wanted to read."

"And yet, it was flawless stitching." Rarity said. "Using only your mouth for the needle, you were doing nearly as well as I was, but after I went to bed, you were much faster, and yet, even more precise than before." I lowered my head a little.

"Lucky, I guess." I said. "I just… I really wanted to read that book. Sky's pushing me off of the grounds, especially if I'm trying to read. I can only get a few pages in, maybe half an hour before I go to sleep. I figured, I'd go read after I was done with the dress, and I just, worked like I was in a trance."

"And finishing so fast led to delivering a cake." Twilight said. I laughed quietly as I looked at her.

"That's, kind of my luck…" I said. "But it was fun, and I'm glad to have helped…"  
…

"_Hey, freak." A bully said. I didn't look. I just sat there, enjoying my fruit punch. After a moment, I felt something hit me. I swallowed the punch and coughed quietly. "I said 'hey, freak'." I cleared my throat._

"_Despite what you think, I can hear you." I said quietly. "I just don't care about your insults."_

"_Hey, I was just going to thank you for the entertainment." He said snidely._

"_Yeah, that's why you threw a cup at my head." I said. I looked at the clock. "I'm leaving. It's time for my studies."_

"_Wimp." He said. I walked out of the room and saw a golden Pegasus talking to others, and they were all wearing masks. I'd been made to wear a bat mask, a small joke on his part, but one I didn't like, at all._

"_Ace, how are your friends?" He asked as he spotted me._

"_They're, fine…" I said. "I'm going home. I wanted to get in a little early to study a little more. This lesson's, a little hard."_

"_Oh, well, I'll bring you some cake and punch, maybe some cookies?" He said. I was silent. "Okay then. Enjoy your reading." I grabbed my rain cloak and pulled it on and closed the clasp when no one was looking. I walked out and ran down the street toward my house, but as I went around a corner I was knocked over from bumping into somepony._

"_S-s-sorry." I said quickly._

"_Are you okay?" A kind female voice asked. I looked up slowly and nearly fainted. It was Princess Celestia._

"_Y-yes…" I said. I slowly got up, but she walked over and looked at me._

"_You're bleeding." She said. Her guards moved as I lowered my head. "What happened?"_

"_J-just, some bully." I said. "It doesn't hurt, that much." There was a glow and the pain went away quickly. I looked up as the wind started blowing. "Th-thank you." She smiled._

"_What is your name?" She asked kindly._

"_A-Ace, Stormrider." I said._

"_Oh, you're Blitz and Kerrigan's son." She said. "Your father has nothing but good things to say about you." I looked away. "Is something wrong with that?"_

"_He makes me fly, for hours…" I said. "But, he never says I do anything, right. He just, keeps saying, to do better, faster. I-it's never good enough, no matter, how hard I try."_

"_He says you do better than anypony else." She said. "But, not to you?" I shook my head. "Well, that's hardly a nice thing to do." The wind picked up and my cloak moved, and I wrenched my eyes shut. "Oh, dear… He told me that your wings were different, but not like this." I was silent. "Don't worry, it's nothing too strange. In fact, I think they look quite dashing on you." I blushed slightly, still not looking, but she moved her hoof lightly to my chin. "Now, now, your mother wouldn't want you sulking just because you're different." She moved her hoof and I looked down, slightly._

"_The, bully, called me a freak." I said quietly. "Every week, it's either, weirdo, freak, 'bat-Pegasus', featherless…"_

"_Honestly, I think they're just jealous…" She said. "Ironwing, what do you think?" A guard looked over at me and stared for a moment before smiling a little._

"_I think he'd look stranger with feathers." He said. "I think those wings will carry you a long way, Ace. If you're the son of Blitz Stormrider, then you'll earn that name one way or another." I looked at the ground again._

"_I, I don't, want to fly, for a living." I said quietly. "I, I don't like, how ponies keep, making fun of me, just because I have these wings. They laugh, or call me names…"_

"_Well, whatever you do with your life, you'll show them a thing or two." She said. "Your wings don't make you who you are." She slowly touched my chest, so I looked up. "_You_ decide who you are. No one else gets to say who you're going to be someday… In fact, I think that someday, you'll do something amazing, that nopony else has done before." I smiled a little._

"_W-well…" I said quietly. She leaned in._

"_Your father says you also have some magical talent." She said softly, so only I could hear. "I think you might just be a prince in disguise." I laughed quietly as she winked and stood up. "I hope to see you at the Grand Galloping Gala this year."_

"_I, I'll try…" I said quietly. "I was, sick last year."_

"_Then you shouldn't stay out much longer." She said. "It's getting cold." I laughed quietly with her as her guards moved a little. "Please tell your mother I send my warmest regards." I nodded as I stepped aside. "Good night, young Stormrider." I smiled as she walked toward the castle. How she'd managed to pick my mood up so easily was a wonder. She knew just what to say._

'_I, should get home…' I thought. I ran toward home, being careful, hoping not to run into Princess Cadenza. Two run-ins with royalty would be too much for one day. As I ran in, a light shined, making me shield my eyes._  
…

I rolled over and sat up a little, blinking before spotting the tent flap. The sun had shone right in my eyes, and with my luck, I'd left my glasses on, letting it get that much brighter right over my pupils.

"Oh, geeze…" I groaned. "I shouldn't have, eaten that, last slice of, lemon meringue…" I slowly got up. "That's ten hours of flying to work off… Per, slice." I laughed quietly and went to my cloak, pulling it on and closing it. But instead of stepping out, I sat on my bed and made the book float over and open. Before I could get to my page, the flap opened. Looking up, I saw Pinkie Pie. "Good morning."

"Wow, I thought I'd have to wake you up." She said. "Is that the book you wanted to read the other day?"

"I finished that one." I said, holding the book up. "This is the follow-up book." She looked at the cover for a moment.

"Advanced…" She said. "Al, chemy… Who's Al Chemy?"

"Alchemy." I said. "Potion making. Grind a few things up, add water, heat it, put it through tubes and piping, cool it down, and you get medicine, or stuff that does, cool stuff."

"Neat." She said.

"It also works for cooking." I said. "Concentrate flavors, make it so that it's healthy without tasting bad, even make a cake that _never_ sticks to the pan."

"Ooh, can you do that stuff?" She asked. "Because that'd be _awesome!_"

"No, I don't have the equipment, and, well, I walk on a rope or a wire." I said. "Hardly any time to get what I'm after… But I'd like to."

"Twilight might have that kind of equipment." She said. I laughed as she shook her head. "Anyway, I came by to ask you something. Is somepony's birthday coming up soon?" I thought for a moment, going over dates rapidly in my head. "Ace?"

"Next Thursday, Specs…" I said. "I've got her present almost done. I just need to buy the rest of it and wrap it."

"Wow, you took a second there." She said.

"Just woke up." I said. She laughed. "There's also Sky's birthday in three months, but that's not close. I have her present already set up. Something she's wanted for a while, and believe me, she's going to _love it_."

"I hope so…" She said. "So, who's handling the party?"

"Horatio, Sky, and I are taking care of it." I said. "She's not exactly one for big parties, but she'll be getting something from everyone that works here."

"What kinds of gifts does she like?" She asked.

"Books, mostly, but she also likes odd trinkets." I said. "Stuff that you'd find in a curio shop. I opted for a few books I know she doesn't have, and I've made sure that no one else is getting one. We're being quiet, because this is a surprise party. The books are actually quite rare, so I know she'll enjoy them."

"Do you have a list?" She asked.

"Sky does." I said. "She's coordinating things, and come the big day, I'm on distraction duty."

"Ooh, can I help decorate?" She asked.

"Talk to Sky, and she'll give you the job you're best suited for." I said. She giggled.

"Great, because I _love_ parties!" She said. "I don't know anypony that doesn't, but I love them more than _anypony_ in all of _Equestria_!" She stopped for a moment. "Wait, if those books you're getting for her are rare, how did you find 'em?"

"M-my mother, owns a lot of, extremely rare books." I said. "Probably the most extensive collection that isn't the royal library in Canterlot." I thought for a moment. "It's, been a long time, since I've been home… Closest I'll have been, will be at the gala." She was quiet for a few seconds. "I look for them, regularly."

"Are you okay?" She asked. I nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I said. "Why?" She pointed at my face.

"Well, you're crying." She said. I slowly touched my cheek and looked at my hoof. It was slightly wet.

"That's, odd…" I said after a second. "Well, I guess I'm a little homesick… Happens, from time to time. But, with my extended family, it's rare these days."

"You should visit your parents while you have the chance at the gala." She said. "I bet they'd like that."

"I, I'll try." I said. "Like I said, it's the closest I'll have been in a while, but, that doesn't mean it's, _that_ close. It'd take a while to get there, and, who's to say they haven't moved?" She seemed confused. "I will, write a letter though. If it comes back, I'll, see if I can find out where to send it…" She nodded, and a thought occurred. "Say, how did you, know that there was a birthday coming up? We're making sure Specs doesn't suspect a thing." She crouched and wagged her tail rapidly for a second.

"My Pinkie Sense." She said. "Remember the twitchy tail?" I nodded. "Well, I got a different feeling, and it led me here. It meant 'somepony's birthday is coming up'. It's never wrong."

"You know, your Pinkie Sense is one of the coolest things I've ever seen." I said. She giggled. "Seriously, I've never met a pony that had an ability remotely like it." She smiled. "It's, totally unique."

"It sure does come in handy." She said. "Especially when doors are about to open, or a chapter's about to end, just like right now." She looked away, and I followed, but saw nothing different.


	16. Planning Ahead and, Parasprites?

**A talkie of an episode here, but hey, it's a good one if you ask me. I honestly like it, and that should happen more often with this story. But after all is said and done, I just hope you all like it as much as I do.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.  
…**

I looked up as Specs held onto the tree, and I was genuinely surprised. Rainbow Dash was up near her, trying to help her down, but Specs had a grip on the branch so tightly I was surprised she hadn't broken it off completely.

"Specs, calm down." Rainbow said. "Just cool it, and let me move under you." Specs shook as Rainbow moved under her, and I sighed.

"Specs, just think, the climb up the ladder is a lot higher than the tree!" I called. Honestly, she was probably nearly as high, but I had to calm her down. I still had no idea how she got up there.

"Ace, why couldn't you have done this?" Rainbow called. "I mean, you're a Pegasus too!"

"We're in sight of the town!" I called. "And there's some hoof traffic!" She sighed as Specs slowly moved onto her back, and she clung tightly as they flew down.

"Ah, Mr. Stormrider!" A familiar voice called. I looked over to see, a familiar white coated Earth Pony. I turned as he walked up, his easel still on his back. "I'm sorry I took so long, but the princesses left to Canterlot before I could give them the finished painting, and I had to get it to them. I'm terribly sorry."

"It's, cool." I said. "Just, glad you're okay. I wondered if something had happened." Rainbow landed and Specs jumped down, quickly kissing the ground. "And Specs, how did you even get up that high?"

"No clue." She said. "One second I'm working on a spell, next thing I know I'm in a tree. It must have, rebounded or something." I laughed while Rainbow and Alexander looked between us.

"What, is a, um, rebound?" He asked.

"It's when a Unicorn's spell backfires." I said. "My guess, she was trying a teleportation spell, despite that I told her that it's among the higher leveled spells in the later chapters of the advanced book series. That says a lot." Specs sighed as she rolled onto her side.

"That spell's never gonna be used by _me_ again." She said. I laughed quietly as Alexander cleared his throat.

"Well, I finished the copy, and I have your original here." He said. "I just need to deliver it to, wherever you'd like it to be set up."

"I have a frame in my tent…" I said. I looked toward the circus and saw Sky in the air, the signal that things were ready. "Let's all go. Specs should get some rest, and some food." She slowly got up.

"Sounds good to me." She said. She started walking as we all laughed. We walked with her and she stayed fairly close to me, so I moved close and she sighed. "How the heck do you two stand being that high without something to hold onto?"

"Because we don't _need_ anything to hold onto." Rainbow said. "We've got _wings_." I laughed.

"Well, that, and Pegasi usually go through training, for a long time." I said. "Once you get used to flying, you never really realize just how far up you are unless your wings cramp up."

"Well, I'm never going to try your act." Specs said. "I mean, it took you two years to be good at it, and then, you just kept getting better… And if you fall, you can fly, so you don't even use a net."

"No net?" Alexander asked. "Brave, even for a Pegasus. If you hurt your wing as you fell, you could get hurt, badly, or much worse." I shrugged.

"Well, if I fall, I try to get a little distance from what I walk on." I said. "I jump away so my wings or my legs won't get caught."

"He caught his leg once." Specs said quietly. I looked as she lowered her head.

"True, and that hurt." I said.

"How bad?" Rainbow asked after a few seconds. "I mean, I've walked away from some crashes, but that was like, soft dirt or mud, or snow in the winter."

"Well, I couldn't walk for a few days." I said. "I caught my front right leg, right at the shoulder, and I dislocated it." She winced.

"Ow." She said.

"So the doctor that travels with us had to fix it, and, that hurt _more_ than dislocating it." I said. Specs nodded.

"You might have heard him, about two years ago." She said. I laughed.

"How did you fall?" Rainbow asked. "I saw you walk across the other night, backward. How the heck can _you_ fall?" I slowed down.

"I, lost my focus." I said. "It was close to my birthday, and I kept worrying Sky was going to try to pull a surprise party again, and the year before, I threw up, and shook so hard they had to take me to a hospital to get my heart rate down."

"Wow…" Alexander said. "I, did not expect you to be so, nervous. I had the feeling you didn't want your wings to be seen, but, that's, terrible."

"I'm, working on it…" I said. "Before the injury, if we'd have been here in Ponyville, you'd have had to drag me, bucking and flapping, just to get me out of my tent when I wasn't supposed to be walking from one pole to the other." They all laughed as we got close to my tent. "Speaking of my tent, here we are… Come on in, I guess." I walked in and moved toward my bed, and I pulled the frame out when Alexander made a sound. I looked over as he moved his hoof to his easel. "Uh, what's interesting enough to paint, here?"

"A collection of knowledge, catalogued carefully, with chests full of personal treasures…" He said. "If you would allow, this would be good to have, for memories later in life…"

"I, I'd rather not." I said. "I love this tent, but…"

"Ace is thinking about leaving." Sky said from the entrance. They looked over. "Right?" I sighed and nodded. "No one said it had to be for life."

"Truly?" Alexander asked.

"I'm sixteen and don't, have my Cutie Mark." I said as I put the frame on the bed. "If I stay here… I've tried my hoof at most of the stalls, and, nothing. At some point, I have to find what I'm good at. I can't do that here."

"So, will Ponyville, be your last stay with us?" Specs asked quietly. I thought before shrugging.

"Depends on if I can find a home and a job." I said. "If not, I could, pay to keep my tent… The last show here might be my last one for a long time. Besides, isn't Horatio hiring somepony in case I can't make it some nights?"

"Thinwire?" Sky asked. "Y-yeah." I nodded.

"You'll be okay without me." I said. "He's good enough to manage anything I can do, I think."

"Yeah, but nopony will ever replace you completely." She said, walking in. Alexander set the painting down and Specs opened the frame, putting it in.

"Hey, I'll always be here in spirit, and I'll send letters." I said. "Just give me the route schedule, and, if I'm ever in the area you're settled in, I'll do a few nights, for old time's sake." Specs raised the picture and we looked, and Rainbow walked up to it.

"Whoa, this is nice…" She said. "But, you said it was a painting."

"It is." I said.

"No way, this is a photo." She said, looking at me.

"I painted this the day the circus arrived." Alexander said. "The reasons of the Ace, I call it. I would normally say that it was the sunset, but it could have been any time of day, and it would still have been good. Though, this cloak looks, different than the one you are wearing…"

"Rarity made it for him." Rainbow said proudly. "Some of her _best work_. It's fireproof, too. I'm thinkin' about a cape made of the same stuff. That'd be _awesome_." They laughed while I took the painting and carefully set it on a hook. As I stepped back, Alexander nodded.

"Perfect." He said.

"Yeah, it is." I said. "Thank you."  
…

"Hey, Ace, bad news…" Sky said. I lowered my book as she walked in. "It looks like a few of the wagon wheels are starting to rot, so, it'll take a few months for us to get replacements… Seeing as the shop that makes them is all the way out in Las Pegasus, and we're here in Ponyville. A good, what, fourteen hundred miles away?" I sighed. "Worse, they have a lot of orders, so they can't get to us until next _spring_…"

"So, we're going to extend our visit…" I said. She nodded.

"Uh, about _that_…" She said. "We don't have enough room for everyone on the trains, due to how close we'd all be. So, dad thinks, maybe we should all head to our own homes during the winter…" I raised my book slightly and put the bookmark in.

"I guess I'll see if I can rent a room for the winter." I said quietly.

"Ace, come on, you told us you ran away, but…" She started.

"I like it here." I said. "I'm sure I can find a job… And, maybe I'll end up buying a house after all, and keeping the job. And, come spring, I'll help with a few shows. Maybe we can put up two wires, and Thinwire and I can do a tandem act." She was quiet before she raised her hoof.

"Ace, no." She said. "You can't just… I mean…" I sighed and put my book on the stand next to me.

"Sky, let it go…" I said quietly. She seemed surprised at my tone. It wasn't an order, or a request. It was just short of pleading.

"Ace…" She said softly.

"So, I'll rent a room, and I'll help out around Ponyville as I can." I said. She sighed. "Not much more I can do than that." She sighed as I went for my book, but she pulled me out of the bed. "Sky…"

"Come on, there's another thing you have to see." She said. I sighed as she pushed me out of my tent.

"I wanted to finish the chapter on a spell that, modifies animal behavior…" I said. She pushed me toward the gate when I started walking, and I heard something chitter, so I looked around. "What was that?"

"I, don't know…" She said. We looked around when something landed on my nose. A small round creature with sparkling wings. It flapped a few times before purring quietly. Sky, as I knew she would, squealed quietly. "Oh, it's so adorable! What is it?"

"It looks, familiar…" I said.

"Come on, you've read so many books, you _have_ to know where to find them." She said. "Please, think hard. Where do I get one?" I turned my head toward her and it flew onto her nose.

"From my nose, apparently." I said. "Let me go check my compendium on magical insects…" She quickly grabbed my cloak.

"No." She said. "Come on, there's more in town, look!" I turned my head and saw a few dozen flying around.

"So there are…" I said. "Maybe, somepony knows…" I started walking when I felt something land on my head. I leaned up as one of the creatures walked down my face and turned to look at me, cooing softly. "Hello… Why do I feel like the name is right on the tip of my tongue, of what you are?" It yawned and closed its eyes. "Sky, I need a spotter." She laughed and began walking me into town. As we got further, there were more, so I set the little bug down on a pile of cloth. "See what you can find out… They're…" I heard a loud burp and Sky screamed. There were two on her nose.

"Oh, sick, gross!" She said. "It puked up another!" They flew off and suddenly began eating fruit from the stands as the other one got up and joined them after throwing up a copy of itself. My eyes widened considerably. "What… What are they…"

"Parasprites!" I said quickly. "That's what they are! Sky, these are Parasprites!" She looked at me and I looked around. "Okay, there was… There was something… I need that compendium."

"Ace, this is no time for…" She started. I turned to her.

"It has the method for getting rid of them." I said. "Just, find Twilight and her friends. I'll bring the compendium." I ran toward the tent and slid to a halt as the Parasprites flew toward the grounds and rapidly began eating all of the food. I quickly searched through the books and checked everywhere until I found it. As I pulled it down I heard a sound. Looking out, they had demolished the food stands and were going back into town, and I began running. "Gotta, get this to Twilight." I stopped as I got to town and set the book down as a burst of light hit every Parasprite, and I swallowed. "Oh no…" I looked at the book as one suddenly flew over and sniffed it. "Now, now, let me just…" It bit a large section of the book away, making me step back. "Hey, this is a first edition, first issue!" It ate the rest of the book and I groaned. "Okay, if that's how…" I felt one land on my cloak so I spun around. "_Oh no_, you're not eating this!" I kept spinning and throwing them around before running from them. I saw the town being devoured, and I tried to think about what I saw just before the book was destroyed. 'Think, think… How did… No magic works on them, not properly. It always finds a way to turn advantageous to _them_…' I slid to a halt by Sky and looked around before spinning. "Hey, cut it out already!" I kept spinning as Sky flapped her wings.

"We can't stop 'em!" Applejack called. "Sky said, you had a book about this?" I spun a little faster before turning and spinning the other way.

"Yeah, and one of the, Parasprites, ate it!" I called. "It said, magic, will always work wrong, on them!"

"I wish you'd have been here sooner with that!" Rainbow said quickly. She flew by, being chased.

"Twilight used a spell to make them not eat everything, but it went backward!" Applejack said. "Apparently, instead o' makin' 'em not hungry, it made 'em stop likin' food, and now they eat everything that _ain't_ food!" I spun again and swatted a large number out of the air.

"I can tell!" I said. "I'm open to ideas!" I ducked under some. "No, you're not eating my glasses, _thank_ _you_ very much." I jumped and staggered back as they flew around me and gave up, but I kept turning around. "Oh, I'm going to be sick in about ten minutes here."

"Ace, they're eating the caravan!" Sky said quickly. "They're, they're eating our wagons!"

"We can get more." I said. I spun and stumbled. "Oh, I'm dizzy…" I stopped with my legs crossed my head spinning. "Sky, keep 'em off me… While I try to, think about how to stop, them…" I shivered slightly and shook my head. "I saw, something about, music… Maybe, some kind of specific, tone, makes them stop? Or, it drives them away?" I thought as Sky flapped her wings and moved around me. Twilight ran by and seemed frantic. "Twilight, I had, a compendium…"

"Princess Celestia's on her way, right now!" She said quickly. "We need to build an _exact replica_ of Ponyville in, two minutes…" She seemed out of it so I looked over as a sound reached my ears. She stopped and I looked over as the Parasprites stopped, but began floating up and down in rhythm. "Wh-what's that?" I narrowed my eyes and adjusted my glasses.

"Polka." I said. "I know the tune…" Pinkie Pie suddenly came into view from an alley, all of the Parasprites going after her as she walked up to us. She had an accordion, a banjo, a harmonica, a tuba, cymbals attached to her knees, and several other instruments. As she walked by, I looked at the sprites as they all flew by us, following Pinkie. "Music… Soothes, the savage beast? Or, the hungry, Parasprite, apparently." We started following her, but I stopped and looked toward the circus. "Uh, Sky, check, check this out. I, need to make sure everypony's okay at the circus." She nodded as I ran toward the grounds. Sliding, I saw Horatio looking at, several damaged, but mostly intact tents. As I walked up, he sighed.

"Well, this could have gone over, much better." He said. "Such, cute little creatures, devoured, half of my circus…" I walked over and looked around.

"Well, maybe, a fifth?" I suggested. He laughed. "Sky said, they took down, parts of the wagons?" He nodded.

"Yes, but, we _will_ recover." He said. "Luckily it was stopped before it got _too_ bad." We turned toward the Big Top, which was, mercifully, completely intact. "We kept to the air and flapped so hard they couldn't get close. Good thing I try to keep in shape." I nodded. "Ah, I saw you, spinning like a top, by the way. Impressive hoofwork." I laughed. "Your tent is perfectly safe, none got inside… I hope."

"Well, they got one of my books, but not the rest." I said. "But… It was a _first print_, first edition. Do you know how hard those are to get? I found it _by chance_. That was a hundred and eighty bits." I whistled. "Right down the mouth of one, fuzzy little, whatchamacallit." He stared.

"One hundred, and eighty bits." He repeated. I sighed.

"I know…" I said. "But hey, the opening price was three ninety." I pointed my hoof at him. "Let's see _you_ do a better job of talking the price down." He laughed. "When I want a book, it _will_ be mine." He sighed as I sat down. "But, geeze, first edition, first print, from eighty years ago… Gone, just like that."

"Well, it was exciting at least." He said. "I saw you running. I've never seen you like this. Not shaking like a leaf, not trying to hide, and not afraid that his spinning might reveal his wings." I was silent as the thought hit me.

"Well, I guess…" I started.

"You're getting past your problems." He said. He put his wing over my back as I looked at the ground and adjusted my glasses again. "I know that, you're thinking about leaving. You know, that you'll always have a home with us. Just, show up one day, start walking on the tightrope in the middle of the show, and we'll have a tent ready for you." I smiled a little. "I'm proud of you, Ace. You've been like a son to me, and, I think I did a good job raising you… As best I could, at least." I nodded shakily. "You'll always be welcomed with a smile."

"Thanks…" I said. "Dad." He laughed warmly.


	17. A Great Gift and Meaningful Letters

**It's been a little while since last I posted for this, and I like this one. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Tell your friends, and please review.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.  
…**

I stamped my hoof down on the nails one after another to put the board in, while the rest of the troupe did their part on other areas. I was responsible for the lead, alone, at my insistence. I heard hammers from the town. No doubt Applejack would need help, so I was going to stop by with Sky and Specs. We'd bought a lot of extra lumber just in case, so we could use it as an excuse to help them lower the cost of repairs.

"Ace?" Twilight called. I looked over with a nail in my mouth, so I whistled. She looked over and up, and suddenly vanished in a bright purple light. I looked ahead as I heard a sound. "Glad I found you…" She went to move when I gestured to her before I could stop my curiosity.

"That's an advanced teleportation spell." I said past the nail. "Flitlight's grade three?"

"Y-yeah, how did…" She started. "That's in a very hard to find book." I shrugged and pushed the nail into the board slightly before stamping it with my hoof.

"We were in Manehatten about, three years ago." I said. "Limited edition, third print, leather bound." She whistled. "I still have it, sitting on a shelf."

"So, uh, about your, compendium." She said. I stamped a few more nails and pulled a few out of my bag. But as I looked up, a familiar book hovered in front of me. "First print, first edition, leather bound, and signed." I nearly dropped the nails.

"How, in Equestria…" I asked. "Signed?"

"I told Princess Celestia that you lost yours, through a letter." She said. "I've been telling her about you, and how much you enjoy reading… She sent this, as a gift, for trying to help us. She didn't know, at first, but, I had to tell her. She said that, it was the kind of book that must have meant a lot, since it's so hard to find, and, it's so expensive." I slowly put the nails in as she gently set it down and opened it. "Now, it's not only signed by the writer…"

"Princess, Celestia, signed it." I said quietly. "I, I don't know if…"

"She signed it to you, Ace." She said. "She said she saw one once, for nearly four hundred bits." I looked at the pages, which were in pristine condition. "She enchanted the entire book to be dustproof, and ageproof. In two hundred years, this will still be in mint condition. I, put a repair spell on it so that, it will slowly repair any damage incurred, no matter how bad it is… There are limits, but, it'll be okay from quite a few types of wear and tear." I looked at the book and gently turned a few pages.

"Written, with an enchanted quill…" I said quietly. "Twilight, this isn't just a first print… This is _the_ first print."

"What?" She asked. I pointed at it.

"This is not only a first edition and a first print, this was written _by_ the author." I said. She looked at it slowly, and then quickly at me.

"How do you know?" She asked.

"Mine was obviously done on a magical typewriter." I said. I pointed. "Look at the loops, the curves, and the occasional splattered dot on an 'i' and the slash-like points on each t… This was obviously written by a quill steadied by a Unicorn, of quite the wealthy family…" I turned back to the first signature. "For Princess Celestia, herself." She put her hoof to her mouth. "I, I really, shouldn't accept this. It must mean worlds to her. The author must have been her friend, a long time ago."

"She said, a friend gave it to her…" She said. "But, she wrote that, it was meant to be given to someone, in need. She must think you'll need it again. You're very lucky." I looked at the pages for a moment. "It's a little, outdated by today's standards, but this is… Not, the only one. I have a copy at my library, the most recent edition. Yours was, outdated as well."

"This is the perfect replacement, then." I said. "I, will treat this as it is… A priceless treasure." She slowly raised it and put it in a bag that she set over my shoulder opposite the nails. "Thank you… I, I'll write a letter, thanking her."

"Spike can write it for you, and he'll send it." She said. I nodded as I stamped the nails in. "Can I, help?" I thought and nodded, looking at her.

"Yeah." I said. "There's a trick to it." I pulled a few nails out of my bag and she used her magic to gather a few. "So, put them in about them about a tenth of the way in, line them up, like this." She looked at mine and nodded, pushing them in, but she met resistance. "This is tough wood, and it resists magic." I moved the nails. "Now, hold your hoof like this…" She looked over as I lined up my hoof. "Hit it, with the outer edge, like so." I stamped it down and she looked. "Don't hope for the first shot to do it every time. We're on the beam with this board."

"You did." She said quietly. I looked as she stamped down three times. "Ow…"

"You get used to it." I said. I stamped the rest of the nails down quickly. "We do this every three years, need it or not. We use the old wood however we can. Pallets, mostly, or new stands." She nodded as I put the next set in, and she stamped her hoof three more times.

"I think I'm doing it wrong…" She said. She looked at her hoof, so I looked after a second. There was a spot with less dirt, so I pointed with the nail after leaning in. "Wh-what…"

"There." I said. "You're hitting a little too far into the middle." I drew a circle around the outer edge where I used my hoof. "Right here. Use this spot, and it'll take two at the most." She nodded as I put the nails in and stamped them in rapidly, alternating my hooves. "Just don't try to get two nails at once. One will always, _always_, find the center of your hoof. I don't need to tell you that it _hurts_." She laughed as she hit another nail, and smiled.

"Hey, I did it." She said. "But, are there books about this?"

"No, none that I'm aware of that don't say 'use a hammer', in so many words." I said. "This is actually, a trick made famous among us, by Horatio's grandfather." I pushed in a few more and quickly stamped them in. "I've been here for three of these, but sometimes we had to replace them for damage. Tree branch comes out of nowhere, something gets in the way, or there's a low hanging branch and they can't stop because it takes too long to warn the wagon behind them, so they take one for the crew and have a Pegasus push the branch back to protect the rest of them. Sometimes it gets through two or three, or in one case, all of them because of a, bridge that was just a little too low so we lose all of the top boards." She laughed as I shook my head. "I was there that day, and I remember telling Horatio 'boss, it's a low bridge, we should go around it', and he says 'we'll clear it'. A minute later, all of the wagons have open roofs, and we're scrambling to get tents on top of the damage so the rain we're about to drive through doesn't flood everything out." She laughed louder as she put a few nails in and hit them, looking proud of her work.

"You should try to teach this to other ponies." She said. "It's, pretty cool." I laughed.

"Well, we try." I said. "It's not that hard to teach. Just point at the spot with a nail one time, and it's easy to find the speed to do it, and how to hit it just right. I think, I'll help Applejack and her family rebuild their home. With all of us working together, we should have the frame and the roof done, probably by the end of the week. The rest of the house, by the end of next week, contribute to furnishing it by, three days after, and painted by the end of the month. All according to Specs' calculations." She nodded as I put a large number in at once. "And now, for the drum roll."

"The what?" She asked. I rose slightly before hitting the nails from the bottom row, at the speed of a good drum roll by alternating hooves before hitting the last nail slightly harder, for a louder thump, and I settled on the side of my leg, leaning against the roof as she laughed. "Wow, you've, made a lot of progress, in a relatively short time. Ten years, hiding from everypony, to… Well, going out and making friends, and, hiding from _almost_ everypony. The only constant, is you hide your wings." I shifted them and looked at a nail and stamped it in.

"Well…" I said quietly. "I have to. I'm, thinking about, getting a job, outside of the circus… Mostly for the winter, but, I'm thinking about, also, buying a house." She seemed surprised. "Ponyville, feels like, it could be home." I looked at her. "I have friends, it, seems like everypony's friendly, and… There's a great library, with a friendly librarian." She laughed. "Helping around, I, can make a few friends, and maybe find a nice place to stay."

"Well, if I can help, I'll see what I can do." She said. I stood up and stretched my back.

"Speaking of, if the offer stands, for the roof, it looks like you need ten more nails." I said. She laughed. I pulled out nails and set them in the spaces for her, and she smiled as I went to the other side. "After we're done here, I'll go, talk to Spike about that letter to Princess Celestia."  
…

"Okay, is that it?" He asked. I had a thought and looked out the window. "Ace?"

"I, do have, one thing…" I said. "Just, don't tell Twilight I sent this. It's, about the ticket to the Gala." I looked back as he pulled out a second letter.

"You're sending it back." He said. I shook my head.

"No, I want to thank the princess with a letter." I said. "I've been thinking about writing one, but, I'm either too tired to do it myself, or I'm working, or Sky's telling me to get out of bed or, 'enough with the words, talk to your friends'." He laughed and I sat down.

"Don't worry, but, I don't know why you wouldn't want Twilight to know." He said.

"It, involves my mother…" I said. "I want you to sign my full name on this one." He nodded and seemed worried. "It's, just a personal thing. From, a long time ago." He nodded again and dipped the quill in the ink. "Dear Princess Celestia, I wanted to thank you for giving Twilight a ticket to give to me. I wasn't sure I'd want to go even if I had a ticket before, but lately I've been through a lot, with my new friends. Parasprites, Poison Joke, a boasting Unicorn that ended up bringing an Ursa Minor into Ponyville, and more besides." He nodded after a few seconds. "I don't know if you remember, but a little over ten years ago, you spoke to me as I left a party my father was attending, and you saw my wings. Your words then felt hollow, but lately…" I looked at Spike as he stared. "Is, something wrong?"

"Um, I didn't know, that you'd met her, personally." She said. I looked away.

"Like I said, it was on the way home from a party…" I said. "I was six, bullied, and had a cut on the back of my head. She healed it and, gave me some kind words…" I gestured. "Uh, how far did you, stop on that one?" He looked at the page.

"A little over ten year ago, you spoke to me as I left a party…" He read. I nodded.

"That my father had been attending." I continued. He went back to writing. "And you saw my wings. Your words then felt hollow, but lately, I've started thinking of them somewhat frequently. I've hidden my wings for a decade, only showing three other ponies, two of which consider me part of their family, while the other has only recently become a good friend." He nodded after a few moments. "The time it took for me to make seven new friends was surprisingly short, under five weeks, and they're, surprisingly close. I'm planning on perhaps staying here should you ever wish to contact me for any reason, though I would request the use of an envelope with my name, for privacy's sake."

"Privacy's, sake…" He said under his breath.

"But your words are showing more meaning than I originally saw, as a young colt." I said. "At first, one could have said that your words on such a young Pegasus would be wasted, as would the time it took to say them, but now, anypony who would say that would be wasting _their_ words and time, because you were right. I'm not ready to be proud of my wings, to walk around in public without my cloak, but thanks to Twilight Sparkle and her friends, I think I've made great strides toward being able to call myself, closer to normal." He wrote and looked up at me. "I will be at the Gala, and I hope to get a chance to talk to you for more than just a greeting. You might not recognize me right away, as I will be using the alias 'Shades O'Gray', and I will wear a mask as well as my cloak. But should we not get the chance to talk, I will understand, as you will likely be very busy. Thank you once more for the ticket. I hope this year's Gala isn't like the one eleven years ago, and you know what I mean by that, because no one will forget Lady Elegance's mane disaster." Spike laughed quietly as he wrote. "Yours truly, Ace Stormrider."

"Ace, Stormrider…" He repeated. "Done…" I looked at it as he turned it. "How's that?" I read it and nodded.

"Thank you." I said. "And, I just want to say, your penmanship is quite nice. I haven't seen such writing in, ten years." He smiled a little and rolled it up and held both out, exhaling a green flame that sent them as smoke to Canterlot.

"So, you really met her?" He asked. I nodded.

"She, told me that I don't have to consider myself a freak, in, so many words." I said. "Let's just say that I, have been called so, and, it has affected me." He nodded slowly, so I stretched my legs for a moment. "And, with that, I am going to go to Sweet Apple Acres to assist in, rebuilding the farmhouse. I don't think I could help much to raise a barn without a come along."

"Without a what?" He asked as I started walking. He walked up beside me. "What's a come along?"

"You know, a pulley." I said.

"Oh…" He said. "Why call it a come along?" I shrugged.

"I hear things." I said. "I do a lot of reading, and I generally don't interact with others…"

"Like Twilight." He said. I shrugged again.

"If you say so." I said. "Honestly, I just know about them from the time I've spent, not from anything else but the occasional rumor or gossip, and I take those with a few grains of salt."  
…

_I looked at the statue in the distance, but went back to my new book quickly, regarding transportation spells. They'd largely died out due to the slight decline in the Unicorn population, which was partly due to their old days spent breeding exclusively among their own number, to keep their magic strong. But they were interesting spells, in that they required a large amount of focus and visualization. One of the most interesting was Flitlight's Teleportation Grade Three, one of the more advanced short to mid range teleportation spells. With a good enough memory of a location, a Unicorn could easily teleport up to six others and an object per 'passenger' a relatively short distance of up to a hundred and thirty feet._

'_Visualizing the destination is key, but visualizing yourself there is far more efficient.' I read. 'Destination, then putting yourself there, the spell becomes much easier, which is what allows the 'ride along' effect to take place, by envisioning the others there as well. Backfires or rebounds possible include singeing, being off target, or extreme supercharging of the spell to teleport you anywhere you've ever been, which would decidedly cause the user to lose their most recent meal.' I turned my head slightly to stretch my neck a little when Sky walked in. I put the book away before she spotted it._

"_Hey Ace, aren't you coming to the party?" She asked. Lately, her voice had been cracking like a thin sheet of ice under her uncle Clyde. I gestured to my cups of punch, and she stared. "H-how, did you get those, without me noticing?" I slowly got up and moved as she looked back, but as I walked over, she laughed. "Well, I guess that'd work." I nodded as I stood up. "How do you do that? It's like, you're all but invisible."_

"_I don't know, I just, do it." I said. "I started when I was five, and, it didn't always work. I guess I got better at it." She sighed._

"_Jeeze Ace, you're so quiet." She said. "I really think you should join us."_

"_I'm fine." I said. "I'm, just tired right now."_

"_You're always tired." She said._

"_Walking on a thin piece of wire isn't exactly easy." I said. "It takes a lot of focus to get the very center of my hoof on it quickly, or I'll fall." She laughed._

"_Yeah, but it's tougher to fly and avoid crashing into eight other ponies." She said. "Then again, since you don't fly anymore, unless you're outside and totally alone." I was silent for a moment. "Tell you what, after the party, you and I will fly in a simple two pony loop. After that, I'll walk on that thin little wire. We'll see which is tougher to do." I went to look away, but nodded._

"_Fine." I said. "But if my job is harder, you let me enjoy my nights."_

"_If mine's harder, you're joining the flying troupe." She said. I was silent. "Ace?"_

"_I can't." I said. I turned away. "I just… Can't. If that's your condition, I'll put up with you trying to convince me." She slowly walked over._

"_Fine." She said. "Forget the troupe, if you lose, I get to kiss you." I laughed after a moment._

"_You're on." I said._


End file.
